Aloha Boom Boom -
by eisceire
Summary: Rock and Revy's trip to Japan stirred up so much old blood in the water that all the sharks have come hunting Rock across Roanapur. In the chase we meet all the town and Revy gets to kill more folk in a week and get more blood on her than ever. Rock is the Trigger. Revy is the Gun. But who will die. SKIP CHAPS 2 3 if you only want the action stuff.
1. The Bomb Explodes (now)

**«» — ALOHA BOOM BOOM — «»**

 _ **«» Chapter One «»**_

 _ **«» The Bomb Explodes «»**_

 **o0O¥O0o — 01 — o0O¥O0o**

« Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Why're we sitting here like assheads? Ronny hustles our butts all the way out here to drop off a package at sea for him and the limpdick hasn't even got it ready; screw him! »

« Chill out Revy! Doesn't this beat sweating it out with Rock at the Rip-Off Church and melting our brains figuring out those guns that came in with the Japanese instruction manuals? »

« Revy, we're not all like you and Dutch. What if we are being strung along? We've got a shady table at a street cafe with endless drinks and all of it on Ronny's retainer. This is sheer kandiflos. You can call it Dullsville, I call it paradise. Even you have to get tired of dodging bullets all the time. »

« Don't feed me that shit Benny; all you fucking care about is that ritzy station wagon you've got yourself. You'd piss yourself if your shiny, new paintwork got creased. What shade is it anyway: silver, platinum, dust, ash? You were damn lucky Jane got the guilts over your old heap being wrecked by her deals. »

« She's a lot nicer than you think. See the monkeygod hanging up front. That's the lucky charm Jane put in for me. She really put a lot of thought into choosing the best car for me you know. That flat-bed can hold a ton more gear than a trunk and … »

Revy breaks into a fit of laughter

« Benny-boy that's a shitting fertility god. No buggering way is that a flying staff sticking up there. She wasn't thinking of any of your crap tech when she got that, or the car. The only thing she wants a damned flat-bed for is so she's got somewhere else to screw your mind out. All I see it's gonna be good for is a hot gun platform; way the flap opens up. »

Benny races carside; stretches himself wide against the metal-flank & barricades Revy off.

"No! No! No! Nobody is going to make a colander out of my baby. I'll make you get off and walk if you start a gunfight. »

« Fuck you Benny. Keep your eyes on dickhead Ronny's office; the sooner the package gets here the sooner we can buggering motor off out of here. »

« NO! »

« What the Fuck! Benny!? »

« No! Look! She can't be here! That can't be the package! Please God, don't let it be. »

« Hell, shit; you're right Benny. It's a lady Rock; ain't she shitting cute. Get her; marching up to Ronny's like she owns the fucking joint. Do you . . .

 **« DOWN BENNY ! ! ! »**

— }{ — }{ — }{ —}{ — }{ — }{ —}{ — }{ — }{ —}{ — }{ — }{ —}{ — }{ — }{ —}{ — }{ — }{ —


	2. The Bomb Is Primed (months ago)

**«» — ALOHA BOOM BOOM — «»**

 **«» Chapter Two «»**

 **«» The Bomb Is Primed «»**

 **o0O¥O0o — A.N — o0O¥O0o**

 _ **Damn but this chapter and the next are backstory leading to the battle. This here chapter is writ like a film script. You can skip the game if you like but you'll have a rake more fun if you try n play out the film in your mind, as you read along. Okay so, don't fret: Chapter Four etc is all pure high-octane Black Lagoon.**_

 **o0O¥O0o — 02 — o0O¥O0o**

Lagoon has fallen into a melee between a foolish newcomer and a hotheaded mobster. Only Revy's sharp instincts prevent her and Benny earning a pair of tombstones. Yet so, no instinct in the world could have prevented this firestorm. The roots lie months in the past …

TABLEAU

Close up on a tough, mainframe computer on an anonymous desk in a corner of a room. Plain walls with no distinguishing features. A man's hands are spread over the keyboard. No sleeves or ident signs are visible. Bullets whizz past to thunk into the walls and the edges of the computer. No dialogue apart for text on screen — a message from Roanapur to an unwanted Japan …

To: fujiyamako-kagami

From: mafiamonkey

Nobody here believes in Lazarus. Okajima Rokuro died in the South China Seas. Who'd care to give him a second life?

TABLEAU

P.O.V looking down from ceiling-height over the right shoulder of a young Japanese businesswoman; she wears a heavy white blouse that shows no hint of the bra below. It is part of a business suit; the jacket is draped over the chair she sits in.

We see her torso & face in profile; her black hair hangs to her shoulders in a curling pageboy cut that frames her face. The desk she is working at spreads in front of her and continues at an L to her right; vanishing out of the frame.

The desk holds an ultramodern laptop, files and papers; it is the organised chaos of the intense researcher. Three entirely dissimilar cats lounge about on the desk; it is plain they are all strays, from the various damages they sport.

To the left there is a window with a row of pot-plants. Through it can be seen the skyscrapers of the Modern Tokyo business district; it is clear that she is high up in her own building. The angles of the canyons between the skyscrapers draw the eye to Fujiyama dominant in the distance.

The wall in front of her is covered by notes & pictures of Rock; covering his life to when he vanished. There is also a prominent picture of Rock and Balalaika in Japan. The corporate's well-manicured hands have just finished typing an appeal to Roanapur …

To: mafiamonkey

From: fujiyamako-kagami

Hey, hey, check out the Bentenrai Foundation logo; see how it says "Excellence above Circumstance". Lots, lots of excellent salarymen go to the wall thanks to how hidebound and old-fashioned corporate Japan is. Bentenrai means to give stars a chance to shine. My mission, mine alone is Okajima Rokuro! You say he died in the South China Seas but all, all of the evidence I've got says different. Could be, might be that the identity Okajima Rokuro is dead but not, never the man. Doesn't matter how deep he's buried I won't, will not rest till I've dug him out.

TABLEAUX

The businesslady Kagami is travelling. We see her on a train, then a plane & finally sat at the bows of a ship approaching the Buddha of Roanapur. At every step we see her keep a distinctive briefcase close to her. On plane & boat a runty man is in the background; more of him later. While she sits at the prow & types, two ship's cats are fussed over by her. All the way she is emailing & we see her messages. She is closing in on her quarry Okajima. "Rock" she hasn't heard of. The messages are …

TRAIN —

To: mafiamonkey

From: fujiyamako-kagami

You wonder what I can do for a dead man. With my connections he loses his past; gains an identity; returns to Japan as anyone he wishes with a career and a future.

PLANE — (all cabin decals in Cyrillic) —

To: mafiamonkey

From: fujiyamako-kagami

You'll never, never scare me off by telling me what a warren of demons Roanapur is. I've both a Degree and a Diploma in "Corporate Intelligence Gathering." I know more than anyone, anybody about the gangs that scuttle around Roanapur and their tentacles around the world. I'm smart, I'm prepped, I'm ready. None, not one of your gangs know what's going to hit them; files I've got on them all. I've chips, counters to trade with all of your Changs and Balalaikas.

BOAT —

To: mafiamonkey

From: fujiyamako-kagami

Mafia, my thanks. All the bits, the items you've shared point to Roanapur. I don't, I won't believe it's a half, a quarter as unholy as you say. Whatever, however it's no spot, no home for a man like Okajima. I swear by Fujiyama; on my heart and soul and honour that I will not return to Japan without him.

ROANAPUR TABLEAU

A battered laptop is perched on a round saloon table which is littered with debris, broken glass and one intact & open can of beer. Flames are encroaching menacingly as we see the same bare arms & male hands as before on the keyboard. Text flys across the screen; Roanapur shrugging off Japan …

To: fujiyamako-kagami

From: mafiamonkey

By Fujiyama, don't bring those ideals here; they'll bring a storm down on all our heads. If you aren't gonna believe me take a long hard look at the statue in the bay then turn right around home. Only the lost and broken live in this town that shoots down the Buddha.

TABLEAU

Another shot of the mainframe & the man's hands then the view pulls out to show a Hawaiian shirt and the large hand of a blackman resting on the shirt-shoulder. The next shot has Dutch in the upper corner of the frame, looking down at Benny in the lower corner. Benny has his head turned sideways & up, to reply to Dutch's question.

« Rock isn't gonna be happy, I don't know what I coulda said to give her a proper scare. »

« A hell lot less. Benny-Boy you gotta learn the difference between truth an credibility. Too many layers to your cake so she couldn't swallow it; and do we swallow her story? »

« Unless some ghost is feeding her dirt, her skill's genuine. The junk she's shown me is all top grade; kinda stuff I pull down myself. You know, she almost makes me feel nostalgic; I used to be the same kind of hotshot kid raising a noise. Until the Feds and the Mafia taught me the wisdom of zipping up and keeping my head down. If she goes on this way she's set to drag the world down about her ears. Damn! Hope she has a Revy when she needs one. »

« Fuck that for a sob story Benny; you landed one juicy career with an A1 cool boss. No bitching! So she can walk the walk but who's holding the lead? »

« Well Bentenrai is real an they're in the biz she says. She's sure fanatic enough to work for an outfit like that but there's no way I can tell if she does work there; not with that phoney "Little Mount Fuji" name she's given us. That's not the problem though; I've traced some of her link-ins to offices of Asahi's main rival. »

« Rock's old company! That's troubling. Is she mad enough to come here, do you think? »

« Ah, like I said I couldn't scare her off; but I figure when she spots the buddha an gets a look at the port she'll book a return passage without even getting off the boat. »

« Better hope so; nobody here wants their past dragged up by some crusader. »

— }{ — }{ — }{ —}{ — }{ — }{ —}{ — }{ — }{ —}{ — }{ — }{ —}{ — }{ — }{ —}{ — }{ — }{ —


	3. The Fuse is Lit (hours ago)

**«» — ALOHA BOOM BOOM — «»**

 **«» Chapter Three «»**

 **«» The Fuse Is Lit «»**

 **o0O¥O0o — A.N — o0O¥O0o**

 _ **Well so! All you'll get out of this chapter and the previous is some history for the action kicking off. You can buck the game and jump onto the next chapter if you like. All that haps here is you get to know the new characters of the story. From Chapter Four the action starts and sure as hell doesn't stop or slow.**_

 **o0O¥O0o — 03 — o0O¥O0o**

Only hours before when Revy and Benny were sitting and enjoying the dubious pleasures of a café lifestyle at Ronny-The-Jaws expense: the storm was already drawing near. The girl who was going to rewrite their lives was taking her first steps into Roanapur and into the blood and the dark that would swallow her.

The boat is but a dirty old scow linking mainland and maimland so all heads turn as a pretty, cute-faced angel in a trouser suit descends the gangplank; a small, smart suitcase in one hand and small, smart briefcase in the other. Behind her a small, scruffy nutcase rattles off the gangplank; he looks like the Moleman from Marvel Comics only bearded and hirsute. This is the man who has paced Kagami for all of her journey to Roanapur.

He dreams that wearing a smart carapace will lend him appeal. It does not; the impression is of a sheepdog run amok in a boutique. He has a denim shirt, branded runners and a Burberry belt. He grabs at her jacket, as the only way to slow her faster legs down enough for him to catch up and talk. She doesn't give him a chance to speak, as she wheels round, to hold him by his shoulders as she gently explains.

« Yevgeny this is Roanapur. You were clumsy, awkward; you're lucky I got you away, out of Russia. That was tough, hard to do and a long, far way past our contract. I'm glad you're clear and free but you can't remain or stay with me; I've got a man to hunt down. Okay? »

She gives him a kiss on the forehead and a light nudge, as she heads off for the cab-rank. That display of softness ought to make her into a prime target only that the dockside loafers find better sport in the little man. So it is just the kinderling beggars that crowd round her and she is ready enough and foolish enough to enjoy the attentions, as she passes out a kindness of small coins to them.

Behind her Yevgeny continues to stand: frozen in dismay and bereft, until one of the dockside loafers yanks at him, making him totter to one side. From there he careens off in wildly random directions, under the hands of the layabouts.

He's so bemused he doesn't even register how his pockets are gradually emptying and forming a pile by the pilings. In the end Yevgeny hasn't even a belt to his name, which is when one inspired prankster trips him off of the quayside and into the water.

Oblivious to the quayside antics Kagami journeys through Roanapur in the leisure of her cab. From there she has no choice but to sample the esprit de ville of those darkly murderous lanes. By when she is arrived at her destination her face is sallow and her eyes wide. Yet so; Kagami will face still worse sights as she confronts Rowan in his club. To begin with she is taken aback by the decadence on show; a pause which lets Rowan get a word in first.

« Lady, Lady, Lady; who are you? There's something familiar about you; have we enjoyed your charms before? Never mind, never mind. That biz riff won't play here. My clients demand the exotic, the unusual; what can you give me? »

« Your life! [she lays papers in front of him] This is your real, true name, your history and who 're the gangsters that still who want your head »

« How! How did you find out? I buried all, all, of it. »

« Yes. Certainly you did but I unburied it. That's my job, it's what I do. I really, truly am sorry to upset a small trader like you. Normally, usually I go after mob bosses but I'm hunting a Japanese businessman and this is the style of place they visit. Do you know an Okajima Rokuro? This is his picture … … … OH !? » — She makes a frantic, useless pockets search.

« I've never heard of him and you've lost your photos to pickpockets. No, No, No; I can't help you and you're hurting my business; please just go. Go and ask Ronny-the-Jaws. He's been nosing into everyone's business since he got here. »

« Veronesi Zanna. Yes. My Thanks to You. You may keep your resumé. »

She bows and leaves; leaving Rowan free to frantically phone a brace-faced friend.


	4. Italian Mob (now)

**«» — ALOHA BOOM BOOM — «»**

 **«» Chapter Four «»**

 **«» Italian Mob «»**

 **o0O¥O0o — A.N — o0O¥O0o**

 _ **Well damn! Got me a guest follower giving thoughtful reviews. Really, thanks to The Dandyman for the input. Always good to get feedback that helps me steer my writng better. If you just mean chapters Two & Three were weird then: yes, they were an experiment. If you mean my writing is generally weird do please elaborate. I wanna hear more.**_ **(?_?)**

 **o0O¥O0o — 04 — o0O¥O0o**

DOWN BENNY ! ! !

Rowan's wild phone call and Ronnie-the-Jaws' idiocy mix Lagoon right into the ambush, right in this very moment of the present day. A fine morning is turning foul.

« Shit-For-Brains Ronny; shoot up the Japass all you like; just don't the hell make us the target too. Benny get the car; I'll get the girl. Shitmouth Ronny is going to need a new dentist. … … … Fuck! Yeah! See if they can glue his skull back on. »

The goons make for cover as they are mowed down in rows and the head of their Head makes like a pináta. Benny is having better luck than any deadhead petrolhead deserves; Revy has so whittled Ronny's forces that not a shot nor a motor follows them away. All that's left is one lonely grenade, bowling down the lee, until it ticks away that last second and explodes; sending the Nipponese into one brief flight before she crashlands at Revy's feet.

Down and very down but not out Kagami stares upward to find all her vision filled by Revy: guns to either side, tousled black hair, dangling cigarette and devilish grin. The image sears itself into Kagami's brain and serves the coup de gracé that lays her out; so Revy has to drag the Nipponese to her feet and towards the car.

Meanwhile: Benny is still by his car; he whips round and dives in behind the steering wheel; gunning the ignition almost before he gets in and roaring his car around into the main street. Bright new bodywork burns the air; fresh new treads tear down the tarmac as Benny spins to a racing stop by Revy. He winds down the window and yells out.

« Is she hurt? Has she been injured? Is she bleeding? »

« Fuck you Benny; the Japass was having so much fun she's fainted out. »

« What're you waiting for then? Get her in the car; now! Me and my baby want a couple miles between us and the heavy ordnance those guys are slinging. »

« Too late for that. » — Revy grins and points at more live grenades arcing towards them.

Dropping the leaden pillow of a salarywoman like a bag of rice Revy grabs up the oriental's valise and slings it at the grenades. There is one, frozen, moment of impact and then the concussion of an explosion. A storm of electronics, cosmetics and apparel performs an almost slow-motion ballet of destruction in the air.

Revy hardly waits to see the results as she parcels a boneless Kagami (and briefcase) into the shotgun seat. For herself, Revy vaults between the front seats and into the backseat; grinning at the rain of debris coming down.

« Fuck but that's an idea Benny; try a grenade in Jane's knickers and listen for the echo. »

« She doesn't wear any kn… Ah, forget I said that. »

« No shitting way am I forgetting that. »

« Oh — by Fujiyama. » — Benny sighs.

Kagami chooses just that moment to become conscious and they're the first words she hears; just as Benny's car-charm is the first thing she sees.

« Hanuman ! ! ! » — She screams as she grabs at Benny's hands on the steeringwheel. The car swerves and keeps on swerving, viciously, as she yanks him around to look at her . . .

« You! You're my contact! You're Mafiamonkey! How is that possible? Why were you at that ambush? What else have you been keeping from me? How . . . AAARGH »

CRUNCH ! ! !

They're just after sideswiping Chief Watsap and lucky that it isn't the full bulldozer! It would've been; if Revy hadn't lunged forward and wrenched the wheel over. Benny ain't steering without his hands. Nobody is.

« Listen Japass this gun just took off Ronny's head; it'll take yours off too if you don't fucking sit down and shut up. Screw the mess; Benny can get down on his shitting knees to lick the car clean for all I buggering care but I'm not dying in some fuckwit car-crash. »

« Please; may I ask one question of you and get an honest answer. Nothing else matters to me; it is the only reason I've come here Do either of you know anything of an Okajima Rokuro? »

« Sorry lady we don't know anyone with that name. »

« Whatever the fuck Benny says. »


	5. New Russian Mob

**«» — ALOHA BOOM BOOM — «»**

 **«» Chapter Five «»**

 **«» New Russian Mob «»**

 **o0O¥O0o — 05 — o0O¥O0o**

Simultaneously with Benny's fender-bender, Dutch is coming into berth and is overjoyed to to do so; to evict his dreary cargo. The raiders that Hotel Moscow are firing in to perform a quick extraction from Roanapur are one woeful distraction to him and none of the calibre of Balalaika's crew.

Yet so, he has the boat and they have the funds, so it is just another job, albeit one he dearly wishes was over. Sadly and inevitably he isn't spared one last blast from the leader of the Muscovites. The man bursts onto the bridge, swamping it with all of his leonine narcissism, demanding to know the most likely place in Roanapur that any fugitive might head for. Dutch names the Yellow Flag.

That business done the Russian grabs ahold of Dutch's hand and turns it palm upwards, to slam a solid gold rouble into it. Before the astonished darkey can begin to respond: the Russian booms out his parting shot.

« Commander Vladimir Monsel always pays the ferryman. »

Then he rushes out from the wheelhouse to go and strut at the prow of the boat with his legs spread wide and his hands on his hips — like some militaristic superman-action-figure. He's dressed in a dark green and long cossack tunic with all the embellishment of braid, brass, buttons and chains.

His hair and beard are neatly cropped and military style; the tawny head is girt by a peaked commander's cap. Glossy squeaky, patent-leather boots support legs clad in dark fabric. The whole ensemble is completed by a full-length, black, leather coat draped over his shoulders; à la mode Balalaika.

He is in full flow to his unwilling army, mustered in ranks on the dock beneath him. Dutch is spectator to a comedic, pantomime of gesticulation, laced by the odd phrase that he can catch from the wheelhouse.

« proud Ferrograd Division … real soldiers … discipline … display … be remembered … objective Yellow Flag … cesspit town … Hotel Moscow Brothelkeeper … ruin her … »

Dutch has heard more than is enough and decides it's about time for him to contribute.

« Attention Commander Monsel, Ferrograd Division, Hotel Moscow: you hired a boat not a reviewing stand. If you want to stay here I'll start charging by the minute. »

The commander's head jerks up but he makes no other response. For a long moment he stands, silent at the prow; stifled in midflow before he speaks one last time.

« Enough of Speech. Now Is The Time. The Time for Deeds Not Words. »

You can hear the capital letters and he so strikes an impressive figure as he automatons across the foredeck and down the gangplank; uniform chinking and body tense as a rifle Such a pity the display is undercut by the muted sniggers, of the personnel who are meant to be his loyal ranks; if not for that, he could just about be taken seriously.

For all of that: a bighead, airhead with a private army and a grudge against Balalaika is sure to cut a swathe of death through Roanapur. His target has already been scooped by the other half of Lagoon (by Revy) and that puts them pure in the firing line. Can even Two Hands outshoot a small army?

 **o0O¥O0o — A.N — o0O¥O0o**

 _ **You can be damn sure Vlad Monsel and his Ferrograd Division are from behind the Iron Curtain. Monsel's Solution is a ferric subsulfate solution (search it on wikipedia) . Ferrograd Tablets are Ferrous Sulphate based. We are talking science here and all of those words mean iron, from the Latin ferrum and chemical symbol FE. Here endeth today's diatribe. (^_^)**_


	6. Yellow Flag Exchange

**«» — ALOHA BOOM BOOM — «»**

 **«» Chapter Six «»**

 **«» Yellow Flag Exchange «»**

 **o0O¥O0o — 06 — o0O¥O0o**

Amazed as he is at the amazing luck he's had, not to have his new toy turned into a maze of holes, Benny isn't such a crackpot as to trust to luck to keep his car from turning into a pepperpot. With that in mind he doesn't park up in the Yellow Flag's frontyard as normal; instead he drives around to the far side and the back road. They all pile out; Kagami toting her briefcase and looking round to pick up her suitcase, which somehow seems absent.

« I had two cases earlier; where is the other one? I must have it; my computer is in there. »

« Sorry Sis, you're shit out of luck; it's in orbit with Yuri Gagarin an Laika . »

« What — Did — You — Do !? »

« Nothing; we did nothing. It's this town; it's a shame you didn't listen to my warnings and stay away but you didn't. Now we have to decide what to do with you. Me, I need a nice, cool beer to help me think; come along inside. »

Benny doesn't say anymore till they're inside. Entering by the back door the trio take up station at a corner of the bar; after sharing around introductions Revy goes to get a round from Bao while the two technonauts debate around their corner.

Revy has some hassle getting Bao's attention, as he is gawping at the sight of Benny and co.

« Yo! Gimme some beers here! »

« Revy, what kinda shit are you trying to pull on me now? What've you done with Rock and who's the doll you've got there? She'd better not be trouble or you'll get the bill. »

« Shit; can't you see Bao? That is Rock! We took him to Doc Heartland for an op; he was too fucking boring, way he was. Hell, you know I like the girls best. »

Revy leers at Bao who is looking bugeyed and bilious.

« Ugh! Better to be shot up than hear your crap, Two Hand. Four drinks here; You, Benny, Mr and Mrs Rock now take your beer and leave me the hell alone. This is making me gag! »

« Cheers Bao, you're the best. I'll get you a kiss from Rock. »

Revy grins evilly at Bao who ducks behind his bar, from where comes the noise of puking as Revy heads back to where the 'puterheads have been talking all the while …

« I get the vibe you're not quitting; I've got nothing to say about that, you're free to die however you choose — only don't involve us. I'm not Rock: making a hobby out of lost causes is a masochist's wetdream. The only cavalry you'll get in this town is the pay n play kind. Tell me, have you got any cards left to deal or did they all get smoked ? »

« Mr Benny this town is a hundred, thousand times worse than you said; on my own I'd fly as far and fast as I could but Okajima is here and I can't, I shan't desert him. »

« He's such a big deal to you, huh why's that? »

« He could've been anything but never got a chance to be anyone; he … but it's nothing, not important. Here's the story, the tale: digging into Okajima for myself I made waves, a splash that caught the interest of Nozinan Minerals. Whatever could or would embarrass their rivals, Asahi Heavy Industries, was good for them. Nozinan wanted to know of anything I learnt or discovered about Okajima so they backed me all the way here. »

« Meaning it'll be bad for you to show your face in Japan without some results. »

« And I've nothing, not a thing to show them; all of everything I had was on the laptop in my suitcase. It was useless, pointless rescuing me once that blew — there isn't one single backup; I never made any, to keep it all secure and safe. All I've got left remaining is the hardcopy. »

She opens her briefcase and pours a slither of manilla folders across the counter; each one is neatly labelled with the name of one or other of the factions of Roanapur or of it's main clubs. Benny picks up a few of them at random and flicks through the contents then he jolts, as he catches sight of the contents of one particular folder, and slams it down.

« Unbelievable! You've got the lowdown on Balalaika herself; where'd you get this? »

« It's not as good or great as you think; look past the header and you can't even read it. »

« So it's in Cyrillic; run it past a kosher adapter on any computer and it's not a problem. I'm surprised you didn't already do that and get a print, before your machine went up. »

« Indeed, certainly I did, you'll find it at the back, and it won't be any help or use to you. It's in some odd, weird Slavic dialect; I don't have the slightest, least idea where to start to get it translated. I paid the guy a Nozinan fortune for this; went all the way to the border to collect it myself. Then I even help him to bug out of Russia, to flit for this town and he cheats me. it's completely, totally unjust and wrong! »

« I really don't wanna be involved in this. Shit knows what'll happen when Balalaika hears. Roanapur is the trashpit of the world though and you've as much chance of finding someone who knows the language here as anywhere. So … »

CRASH ! ! !

Revy is back with the drinks and raging; it's a wonder the glasses don't break as she hammers them down; sweeps all the files off the counter onto the floor and growls out.

« What're you two crapheads doing; planning your funerals? Go an get a billboard that says "Kill Me Baby" — it'd be hell lot simpler n draping your aces over a bartop. »

Kagami is down on the floor behind the corner of the bartop scrabbling to gather all the files back in the case; she is listening but pretty much ignored by the other two. Revy has claimed two of the beers for herself and is quickly knocking them back as she talks.

« Wanna know how fast the shit's gonna hit the fan? Got called twice 'fore I got the beers in. Dutch says there's some kinda Russian army headed this way and it isn't Balalaika. Sis Yolanda wants a meet between Rock an this Suit here an that bughead Rock has said okay, so we gotta motor to the Rip-Off an make it happen. An … where the fuck is she? »

Kagami is over by the window, gazing out, attracted by the noise and drama out in the yard. A moment before it erupts into the bar she is calling out excitedly.

« Mr Benny! You never, ever told me about the cosplay. There's an entire, whole army out there; they've not missed one single detail and their chief just wow. »

The whole bar turns to look at the cutesy, crazy gal-in-a-suit. Revy, Benny and Bao are all staring at her in consternation so every eye is turned in one and the same direction as Vlad Monsel makes his entrance.

Simultaneously Benny and Bao drop the glasses they're holding and they smash on the floor. Revy simply drains her glass and grins appreciatively. The egotistic Muscovite couldn't have planned a better entry and he makes the most of it, as he sweeps his coat back to straddle the entry in his trademark hands-on-hips style.

« Peons! I am Commander Vladimir Monsel; outside is my army. If you wish them to stay outside you will surrender to me any recent arrivals that you are hiding here. »

He gets an instant response, as Kagami's disloyal trading and travelling partner springs out of a darkened corner of the room and pours some tale into the listening ear of Vlad Monsel. Very soon the Commander lances a sharp glance at Kagami and stalks down upon her.

Only Two Hand hasn't been idle in all of this, even as Yevgeny is playing quisling, she is commenting to Benny and taking action; almost in the same breath.

« Shit! This looks like fucking trouble. Get the case and get down Benny. »

Then Two Hand hurtles across the room to snatch and toss Kagami bodily across the distance and behind the corner to where Benny is. To the confounded Vlad it is as if he's seen a magic trick in reverse; the bunny vanishing back into the hat.

By the time he's got back his wits and pulled his sidearm Revy is long gone; luckily for her as his vicious weapon is a nailgun that shreds the ground she was occupying an instant ago. Then Vlad is backing out of the entrance and signalling his men to come crashing in through the windows and door, while he remains far out of the melee.

By then Two Hand is at the bar — on the bar — running along the bar — making a strafing run — cutting down the first assault — changing cartridges as she goes — patrons and drinks spill out every which way.

Behind the bar, Bao is flailing wildly — chasing her — snatching at her — yelling things like: « My Bar! — Stop! — My Windows! — You're killing me! — Get Down! — I'm billing Dutch! »

Revy hits the bar end — vaults off it — lands on a table »

Revy can't keep 'em all out — but can keep one step ahead of shots »

Second wave is in — gunning the bar — blasting the opticswall — too late »

Revy is fastest — gone to tabletop — shooting down the shooters from offside »

Benny, Bao and Kagami are already down behind the reinforced bar — saving their skins.

Two Hand vaults up onto the stair-rail — shoots down into the foe — moves on — hurtles into the air — flys over the enemy — rains down bullets - swaps cartridges — ploughs through a trooper — hits ground — drops to a crouch — outflanks her opponents — scythes them dead.

Foxed and outfought the army tastes fire too hot and get the hell out of the kitchen. It's a rout and all the yells and protests of their commander cannot motivate them back into the fray. Two Hand wins this round: the troops are curbed, Yevgeny is a doorstop and the bar is slain.

Two Hand recharges her guns, once more, and heads across to the bar to check who's alive behind it. No sooner does Revy peer over than she is locked in a supercharged hug by Kagami and hit by a hot kiss to her cheek. Kagami can't contain herself.

« That's twice, two times you've saved me, Revy. Guess there's some good in Roanapur. »

Revy responds gruffly and grimly.

« Ease up on the Disney shit sis; we don't get out of here fast you'll find how bad it gets. »

The trio hasten out of the backdoor, followed by Bao's curses, and pitch back into the car. The instant they reach the high street they pull to a stop and make a switch. Benny and Kagami into a taxi to go the Lagoon office. Revy to keep Benny's own motor to go get Rock. With all the unknowns in this job it's better to stash Kagami and bring Rock to her. Asides of that, motoring this car through town will draw off any Monselites who might've spotted it out behind the Flag. Benny has a few choice words for Revy before they part ways.

« It breaks my heart letting you loose in my baby; I don't wanna see it turned into a lead magnet. If the Russkies catch on to you, put the pedal to the metal or I'm harnessing you to a donkey cart — got it! »

« In your dreams Benny-Boy; this mule shoots back. »

« Yeah, I get it. You know I didn't think this town could get any more twisted but yeah it's beaten my worst nightmares. Miss Business isn't much more'n a kid an she's made you her hero. Normally I'm not kamikaze enough to stick my nose into your biz but I'm begging you: don't let her down … ever. »

« Can't make no promises Benny-boy. Anyone thinks I'm an angel is sick in the head. »

Revy burns rubber with a squeal that makes Benny wince.


	7. Gunchurch Mob

**«» — ALOHA BOOM BOOM — «»**

 **«» Chapter Seven «»**

 **«» Gunchurch Mob «»**

 **o0O¥O0o — 07 — o0O¥O0o**

The man who isn't Okajima Rokuro looks up sharply from where he is surrounded by guns n ammo n mags, which he is translating. There's just been a loud explosive bang and now he can see smoke rising up from the far side of the barn that he's in. It's framed in the open doorway and is coming from some spot in town; a spot which is about where the Yellow Flag should be.

Idly he hopes that Revy isn't there or at least that she has nothing to do with any demolition. It'd be nice, for the once, to go into the bar and come out just with a drinks tab and not a repair bill. He puts it from his mind and minds his task; soon he is lost in a world of technical, tactical Japanese.

CRASH ! ! !

Gun parts go flying in every direction as Eda bursts into the ordnance barn and flings all of Rock's hard work to the four corners and the four winds. She plunges to her knees in front of him; grabs ahold of his head and forces his face up so he has to stare right at her; wide eyed and startled; sure that she's finally flipped; her words don't reassure.

« Rocky, Rocks, Rock. Rocky One. Rocky Two. Double. Duplicate. Doppelgänger. Do you know there's two of you? Late Breaking News Rock — Rocky Two, a lady-you, got off the boat this morning. She knows mafia like you know minerals. Got the town all stirred up. Dirt she's got on Rowan scared the shit out of him. »

Eda unfolds, back onto her feet, then leans on the doorpost and jerks a thumb towards the smoke pluming up from the heart of town.

« Not his brains though; man's got the survival skills of a roach he fed her line that the dumbfuck Ronny-the-Jaws was the best infobroker in town and sent her off to Ronny's' biz office. Rocky Two has to be as dumb as a fish; the moment she's out of the door Rowan is on the phone to Ronny; taking out a contract on one unlucky Japanee and that's all they wrote. »

« Not so. The lady isn't dead. »

Yolanda's level voice floats in from the doorway.

« Eda! I've told you before; not so much the drama. The Lord has little love for a show-boater and none at all for one with the wrong intel. Italian Ronny contracted Lagoon Company to dispose of the body, once he'd made it into a body. He never was much of a businessman though and voided the contract by dousing everyone in the street with a bullet shower. All that was left was for Lagoon's wild girl to snatch the lady and evacuate.

« Revy ? »

« Revy ! »

« The very same and I've already called her; she's on here way here to collect you Rock. Now that our walking Book of Wisdom has shouted out her trade in the marketplace nowhere in the world is going to be safe for her. It is the church's bounden duty to help the lost and wayward. The Lord will open wide his arms and hasten our new daughter into sanctuary. »

« So long as she can pay her way; isn't that right, Sister Yolanda? »

« What else, dear boy; we are a church not a charity. As the Book of Beasts says: we must be as sharp as serpents and as cunning as wolves — to beat out our competitors. »

« Fucking right; bet even the U.S of A would like a stake in this hot deal. »

Eda adds; hurling a pinned grenade dead at the States on a world-wall-map; as emphasis.

« If the Nihon Guru can dig as deep as it seems then all the gangs in town and across the globe will be after her: if not to make her speak up, then to make her clam up. I am so fortunate you've graced us with your company, dear boy; your presence gives me a unique opening. Who better to bring her to me than a fellow countryman.

« I'm sorry Sister Yolanda but you're wrong — I'm no countryman of hers. You must know I was in Japan on business recently. We were in Tokyo, where I'd lived my whole life; but it was no homecoming. »

Nigh on desperately, Rock grabs up a dense sheaf of the dense Nihon paperwork that he is working on and brandishes it in Yolanda's face.

« There was nothing left between us, no connection, no common language; no way for me to speak out of my darkness to those still in the light. I'd fooled myself; I'd believed my homeland was always there, if I chose to return. But, once I was there, I couldn't find "home" however much I looked. »

Rock seizes up a fistful of glistening brass shells from a crate and lets them trickle out from his hand and back into the box in a rattling chain of metal. For a long moment all three of them gaze on that trail of death; mesmerised — then Rock raises his head to gaze around the barn: at the munitions, at Eda, at Yolanda, then out of the door and over to Roanapur.

« Too much has come between me and them. I've already moved so far away that I can never find my way back. I stood at the door to my past life and didn't dare knock, because I'd been too deeply stained by this life. You can't expect me to make another victim. »

The past explodes inside of Rock's mind, as the excoriating words of Yukio return to haunt him, from the blood-soaked bowling-alley. Yet so, none but Revy will ever know all of the ghosts that haunt him. Rock flinches from the razor-wire of his past, yet so, the here and now will not let him escape it.

« Eloquent as ever my dear boy but have you considered the fallout? Your innocent lamb has her head full of deadly knowledge and the skill to cook up more; naive as she is that makes her a walking target. As the Book of Infidels says: "Yea though I walk through the Vale of Mafia bearing gold in great store, so surely will my head be parted from my shoulders." Whoever gets close to her is looking for a fresh career, as a smoking hole in the ground. That means your friends in Lagoon, Rock. »

« Yes; yes it does and they've no idea what they're dealing with. I'll bet I can name your lamb, Sister; she's Fujiyamako Kagami a researcher from Japan. She's been in touch with Benny for months, chasing down some dream she has and sounding off about following the trail to Roanapur. It really unnerved me that Tokyo came nosing round my grave. It's best that we never meet or who knows what kinda Nagasaki we'll set off.

« My dear boy you're far too astute to believe troubles will pass you by if you ignore them. That sweet girl is a living grenade and she will explode at your feet, if you don't defuse her. »

« Yeah; you're no dumbfuck! »

Eda calls out, a lit cigarette dangling from her fingers as she lolls on a pile of live ammo.

"Let my creditors come and I shall confound them all; from behind a ten foot wall" says the Book of Croesus. The Big Powers don't care to be stung by picking ants out of this nest. Why, even the Feds don't come hunting a copkiller like Revy. My dear boy you're secure in Roanapur. You can take whatever action you like. »

« I never meant to deal with her. She was never meant to be here. I made Benny chill her and scare her, with horror stories about Roanapur. I wanted her to stay in her kandiflos world. Should've known that'd never work. I'd forgotten what her type are like. You find her sort in every big Japanese corporation. They're always top of their field and that's because all they see is their own obsessions. »

« She sure as hell didn't see Rowan's set-up. She was lucky as fuck Revy was there to give Ronny lead dentures. »

Eda jibes; kicking at a missile for emphasis.

« Yeah she's so blinkered she doesn't get where she's headed or how she's going to be used. My team've no idea that she's about as safe to be around as a guided missile. Okay then Sister Yolanda; I'll save her from Roanapur for you and even mention your name to her. But if I can make her get the hell out of town I'll rather do that. However it falls out, don't forget the deal is just between us though; don't hold Lagoon responsible. »

« I wouldn't dream of it my dear. I had hoped for a better deal than the one you're offering but I suppose I must respect your national peculiarities. Now I hear your lift is coming, so time for business. Au revoir, dear boy. »


	8. Italian Vendetta

**«» — ALOHA BOOM BOOM — «»**

 **«» Chapter Eight «»**

 **«» Italian Vendetta «»**

 **o0O¥O0o — 08 — o0O¥O0o**

Revy tears up to the Gunchurch barndoor; wrenching the car to a halt with screech of brakes and tang of burning rubber that'd make Benny weep. She doesn't so much as trouble to get out of the car but just calls over.

« Got our plans fucked over by the retard branch of Hotel Moscow. Benny's cabbed the Japass over to Lagoon offices. Me an Rock'll catch them there. Rock! Get your butt inside if you wanna see your Japass pal. »

Rock hastily parks his butt in the shotgun seat and is firing up his mouth almost as soon as Revy is hitting the open road.

« She has a name. Would it hurt you to use it? »

« No she don't have a name; not if you wanna stay outta the sorry mess of her life. Tag a name on her an' you'll be dragged down to hell alongside her. All for nothing. There's nobody out there but bowling pins; knock 'em down or let 'em stand — it's all the same. You ever gonna learn that lesson Rock? »

« Maybe I don't want to learn the lesson. When I see somebody drowning from no fault of their own, just being pulled under by the weight of others, what can I do? I never want to feel as helpless again as I did in that Winter City. »

Thoughtfully, Rock pulls a pistol from the glovebox, weighs it in his hand, and then replaces it firmly and deliberately.

« Once I stop caring and trying then I may as well push them under myself. You don't need to tell me how many got swallowed whole, even as I reached out to them. I've still got nothing to be ashamed of. At least I saw the the boy and his young maid home »

« Are you dreaming that you sent Garcia and Fabiola back to a Garden of Roses? All the roses are black and burnt and dying. The brat is crushed to the floor, guarding his maids and his inheritance. All you've saved is how you look to yourself. You let those kids walk towards a reddening sky an' never looked to see if it was dawn or the fires of hell. »

« If nothing else I can promise no harm will come to Kagami from me. I'm not going to be the one to corrupt that harmless lamb. I don't intend to be anything more than the envelope for Yolanda's message. »

« Damnit Rock there are no innocents. Nobody gets saved. The Twins saw the world clearer than you do; that kandiflos you fed Gretel, she spat it right back at you. Hell of it is; soon as you see the Japass you'll just wanna rescue her. Bet you a round at …

« FUCK !? »

A cab has shot past — cut up Revy – same cab Benny + Suit had — only Kagami in it now.

Revy whips the car into a screeching handbrake turn, that has every strut protesting Not even waiting to come fully around she accelerates right into the straight and is in pursuit. It isn't till she's dogging their tail that she lets Rock know why the cab matters. By then all he can see of their target is a bit of the back of her head. It is a small thing to be pounding Benny's new car to death for.

« Hey Rock there's your shithead Japass; she's fucking ditched Benny an hijacked the cab. Lookit her bugging out for bosstown! Hell chance she thinks she has to hack a deal with those sharks! Guess you get to play Prince Charming sooner than you thought. Gotta say Benny's motor is sweet; sure has got the legs on that tincan cab. »

Legs don't count for shit though; it is wings that Revy needs — soon as the cab hits the long, straight highroad it takes off explosively. The grenade that's hit it peels back the front like a bloodstained banana. Smoke billows out and sure twas another shot dead but it seems Revy doesn't give a damn as she zips on by into the murk.

Revy zips on into the murk, towards a swarthy example of the archetypal sergeant major: packed into an, overly tight, cheap suit and with a monstrous grenade-launcher across his shoulder. He's just let off another missile at the speeding Revy, who's only response is to hammer the pedal through the floor and blast the speedo off the dial.

« Two Hand! You're gonna turn, yeah? »

« The Hell ! ! ! »

Grenade -vs- Demon — Rock doesn't fancy the bet. He assumes The Position: head below dash - hands on head - relearn prayer - fast!

The grenade slams into the onrushing, smoke-shrouded vehicle and wrecks it … at least the windscreen. The car is bucketing too fast for the launcher to get a solid lock-on-target. A savage grin tears across Revy's face, as she bends her head aside, feeling the missile-wind tousle her hair, as the grenade misses her by a whisper and keeps on through the car to bust; into and out of the rearscreen — to explode harmlessly in the open air and the open road.

Rock looks up, white-faced and unsure whether he is in this world or the next. Before he can decide, the juggernauting auto-da-fé rattles boneshakingly, while it crunches a path over some obstacle in the road. Rock has an all too good an idea of what they've just mangled and intently doesn't join Revy in checking the rearview.

Whatever it is she sees it doesn't make her happy; she slams the car in reverse and zips backward at the same insane speed as she'd shot forward. The murderous crunch is repeated but now Revy wears a triumphant grins as she peers at the road. Reversing further back, to where the cab is still curling out smoke, Revy comments.

« Lucky Luigi. Ronny's lieutenant. Guy had the devil's luck; he saw out three bosses and he died with a gun in his hand. Damn he sure as shit is out of luck now! »

As if in punctuation a megatonic explosion sends their car into a vertical takeoff and then a whumping touchdown. Revy's grin splits wider as she calls out to a dazed Rock.

« What the shit do you think's gonna happen if you hit n run grenades! Get the wheel; I'm gonna see what meat's cookin' in there. »

She doesn't wait for a response as she crouches her way through the acrid smoke to see if anybodys are still alive in the ex-cab. A bugeyed, headshaking expression of wonder is the driver's epitaph. Rock doesn't care to try and imagine what's gotten that expression out of some gal like Two Hand. He's been in fights enough since taking up with Lagoon but nothing this direct and intimate for him, not since his first few months. His equilibrium is completely shot by the barrage of shocks and shots. All that remains it to learn what remains there are of the Japanese Tracker, who has stirred things up so very much.

 **o0O¥O0o —A.N— o0O¥O0o**

 _ **« And he died with a gun in his hand. » — Feck me but that's another of my lurking song quotes. Have a scout around for the song Billy Reed if you want to know more of that particular injustice.**_


	9. Mobtown Invaders

**«» — ALOHA BOOM BOOM — «»**

 **«» Chapter Nine «»**

 **«» New Mob In Town «»**

 **o0O¥O0o — 09 — o0O¥O0o**

Back in Roanapur, in the low rent quarter Vlad Monsel is working his force hard to disturb the town's equilibrium. He plans to claw Roanapur apart and his own officers too; everything that has gone amiss is down to them. It was an error not to post a guard at the back of that bar; his men should have thought of it they didn't. Because of that Vlad hasn't only lost sigh t of his prey but he's not got even got the wisp of a thread to follow up.

He takes the only way forward that he can see; leading his troops marching into town. He has no doubt that the sight and sound of him in uniform and brass, glinting and clinking, along is daunting enough, let alone with the troops he has with him. They step together, boots tromping in unison along the streets of Roanapur and through any stall or trader unlucky enough to be in their way. These crisp uniforms and dense regiments, led by the peacock spectacle of Monsel, are something entirely new to the town.

The Division marches its way up the high street then splits into Detachments that fool themselves into believing they can winnow the byways of Roanapur and press facts out of the locals. Yet so, the residents have no truck with these kind of military customs.

Vlad Monsel is far luckier than he deserves; in getting all of his Ferrograd Corps back again, even if in a far worse state than he sent them out in. They are roughed, scuffed, dirty and hurting; shy of arms, gear, coin, livery and even moustaches but all alive alive oh. What saves them is that, they're so much of a novelty that the bystanders prefer seeing out the the military drama, rather than ending it in a handclap of lead.

Whatever about Vlad's expectations he's having none of the kind of success he wishes. In one day his troops are become the most infamous and farcical gang in town. Lagoon is paid, in advance, to courier him out this night; if he can't make the rendezvous, Vlad is sure he'll get no credit and be made to pay a second time, for whenever he can break free of this cesspit. He will not go begging to Russia or (worse yet) Balalaika to pay his fare home and so must husband every rouble.

Vlad has been so certain of one triumphant dash and snatch (to rob out prey and kudos from Balalaika) that he's got nothing of resources to dig in with. Yet so, somehow, he must needs improvise shelter for the night. It is that or rough it on the streets, which even Vlad doubts is possible. He's been all too busy making himself Mr Unpopular and Least Likely To Survive, by tearing his way through Roanapur with his savage nailgun.

Much as Vlad hates the need, he'll have to come to an accommodation with Balalaika, for accommodation. Whatever about his ambition to outshine his bitter rival (Balalaika and her soldiers), the local Hotel Moscow is the only unit that he can turn to. He'll be damned if he has to flee back to the ship or walk away empty-handed. Truth be: he and all his men are surely damned already; not a one will see home again and the tombs of Roanapur will grow fat on Russian meat.

To be sure, Vlad has an inflated opinion of himself but he's not lacking moral courage and calls on Balalaika in his own person. Sitting in front of her desk he gives his version of the situation. It is less an appeal than an ultimatum: he calls Balalaika on her obligation to support any Hotel Moscow project and he and his most of all. Self-assured as he is, Vlad knows none of this debacle can be his fault; it is only right that he makes the position clear to Balalaika; makes it plain that he is not begging but insisting she does her duty.

« … inevitable that we wouldn't be properly primed or resourced; we've been starved of proper intelligence support from the forces on the ground. But — whoever stands in our way — the Ferrograd Division will triumph. A properly arrayed military force can achieve more than any informal unit; you cannot deny it. In this, the very first day, of our offensive I've denied the enemy shelter; captured the traitor; extracted every secret from him. It's the Japanese making trouble again; one from Tokyo, one resident here. It's nothing more than busywork for me to track down his partners in crime and recover the documents. »

« Da; big claims for a Boyar. So; tell me how many men were lost at the Yellow Flag? »

« Thats irrelevant; they're merely soldiers. By tomorrow I'll have the whole of the network rolled up, in captivity and on the boat home. Adversity spurs me on to victory. »

Suicidal words and opinions, next to a pack of Vyostoniki. Around the room Balalaika's Own tense up and their faces darken. Any of them are ready to take an excuse to take the churl's life. When Vlad takes up Balalaika's heavy desk diary and flicks through it, with the casual air of a man waiting for a train, rather than a man waiting for a lifeline, he is lucky not to be drilled through a score of times. He's entirely oblivious that it's only Balalaika's indulgent signal that reprieves him.

« Please, no need to be ashamed Balalaika; our paths simply diverged. Our masters charged you with administration while they kept me in active service. I don't doubt you're a superb underworld mayor but you cannot possibly have the keen edge of the Ferrograd Field Division. We thrive on adversity. »

« How amusing. No more drink for the Boyar, Sergeant; it wouldn't do for him to lose his edge. You've been such a help, Vladimir; here I was worrying you'd turn your nose up at the iron rations and warehouse you're getting but you'll be right at home with the rats. »

« Balalaika, is this how you would respect our shared history? Had I not proffered Hotel Moscow my dacha, as a goodwill gesture, you would not have had a base of operations, from which to claim that territory. Perfidy! Whatsoever fame you hold springs from my gift and this is your repayment! »

« You misjudge me Vladimir. My Sergeant will see you out; we've nothing left to discuss. If adversity is your taste then I am happy to supply it. »

 **o0O¥O0o — A.N — o0O¥O0o**

 _ **Step Together: words familiar to any member of the Emergency Army of Ireland - formed to defend the Neutral Republic during the Second World War. The Emergency being the Irish Republic's term for WW II.**_


	10. Nurse Revy

**«» — ALOHA BOOM BOOM** **— «»**

 **«» Chapter Ten «»**

 **«» Nurse Revy «»**

 **o0O¥O0o** **—** **10 — o0O¥O0o**

At the scene of the autowreck Two Hand by now is at the rear door and grabbing at the handle, only to snatch her hand away at the heat of it and change to the tactic of kicking in the window. The bootfalls set off yet another explosion from the car; flames jet up and the smoke redoubles.

A stunned and injured Kagami is dragged out by the most unlikely of rescuers. For a moment Kagami gazes around blearily and murmurs « Revy? » before she begins to scream.

« Shut it Japass; time for your anaesthetic! »

Revy snaps this out, as she delivers the required medicine with a sharp uppercut. She then drapes the crumpled Suit over her shoulder and makes for the flatbed of the car. Rock can just make out two indistinct figures.

He can only tell which is which when one is dumped down while the other makes a dash to tear the wipers off their car. In the rearview he can see Two Hand kneeling over an invisible-to-him figure. Revy is brusque and terse in her orders; she has her hands full holding Kagami together.

« Drive Rock! We need Doc Heartland rapido an' keep your yap shut I gotta focus here. »

Rock has no plan of talking much anyhow, not if off on a bluelight run, minus windshield. He has plenty and enough to handle; as does Revy in the back. A quick top-to-toe triage shows no damage beyond the immediately obvious. No worrying swellings, bleedings or cerebrospinal fluid, so, hopefully, no internal damage.

Thankfully no crush injuries and the complications of the toxins that go with them. Kagami has glass in her eyes, a headrest truss through her chest and a corkscrewed left arm. The spasmodic pulses of blood from the arm speak the worst — a severed artery.

Kagami's tie and pen are pressed into service, as a tourniquet, but can barely hold back the bloody gouts. Taking a chance, Revy straightens and splints the arm, using the wipers, before tackling the bleeding anymore. It slightly shortens Kagami's chance of life but, if she does live, at least she'll still have a working arm.

One sleeve of the researcher's top is caught under the splint but Revy makes brief work of tearing the rest of it off. With it clear, the wound becomes clearly visible; luckily the strut has only gored the lower sternum. There's no problem of a punctured lung; making Revy free to pull out the truss.

Without the cork of the strut, the very act of breathing makes blood spume out of Kagami. It wells up in rills that stream across Kagami's body trickle down her sides and runnel into every crevice of the flatbed. Revy is drenched in blood by now: she's kneeling in it, splashing in it, feeling it douse her shorts and boots besides streaking her arms, face and torso.

It's nothing more than Two Hand is expecting and she doesn't give it a thought, not as she focuses on bundling up the shirt to pad over the injury. Revy finishes by making the last of the shirt into makeshift bandages to wind over the dressing and apply pressure to the site. It's all good bright blood; Revy relaxes a touch for not seeing the darker shades of blood, those that warn of trouble inside of the body.

Somewhere in the midst of this Kagami has become conscious and conscious of what is happening too. She goes to spring upright, intending to hug Two Hand yet again but the gory angel isn't about to let her patient injure herself and holds Kagami down fast. The Suit mutters a little then falls quiet.

« Owe you three times, Revy. »

Then Kagami goes quiet and still; while she gazes intently at the Gory Angel that is Revy. This doesn't go on for long; as Revy has to press the last ribbon of shirt into use across Kagami's eyes: to stop her peering round and mashing the glass in her eyes even further in. All of this action isn't as fluid as it might be: Revy has to split her care between applying dressings, controlling two major bleeds and being sure the tourniquet isn't kept too tight for too long. Tourniquets! A blessing and a curse, they hurt like buggery when on and if kept fast for too long cut off too much blood and risk the very limb under care.

It is why (as soon as she is happy with all the dressings) Revy liberates the arm from the tourniquet and replaces it with her own weight and vigilance. She braces herself against the car to balance herself atop of Kagami. Revy intends to apply the best pressure she can by pouring all the weight of her body into the spur of her knee, which is pressing on Kagami's brachial point. It is a game and a half to maintain a steady pressure and a firm control, against the buck and jolt of the car but it is better than a tourniquet, for all of the ten or so minutes to Doc Heartland.

For all of the cease of bleeding there's no halt to the sounds bubbling out of Kagami. Revy isn't so inept as to apply another concussion that Kagami might not come round from; so she jams her wrist into the Suit's mouth and bears the clamp of Kagami's agonised bite. It offers Kagami some relief but not scarcely enough. The mewls and whines coalesce into a fog of anguish that sweeps the car till Rock can feel it in his very bones; it sets his teeth on edge and has him grinding them together as his hands clench tight on the wheel.

Rock cannot avoid peeking in the rearview, to catch sight of Two Hand on her knees and staunching Kagami's injuries. It's a familiar and unfamiliar Revy that catches his eye; to stick in his mind. There is blood trailing up her arms past the elbows, her top is dark with it, it dapples her face and even her hair is sticky with gore. It's not new, a bloodsoaked Two Hand, but there's no bared-teeth savagery or ferocity; only tension and concentration.

It's turning his ideas of her all upon their head and the image haunts him all the way to Doc Heartland. That's reason enough why Rock stays in a daze: he doesn't know what to think or say or do and so plays statue. He doesn't so much as go to help carry the Suit to the Doc's door. For all of that, Two Hand moves with such alacrity and efficiency it is plain she is used to moving hurting bodies and Rock is more likely to be an impediment than an aid. Yet more letters to add to the haunting crossword that is Revy.

Doc Heartland tags with Two Hand at the doorway; it's a professional and competent switch of patient and information. In the last instant before the door swings closed the Doc moves a shade awkwardly and Rock catches one full-front view of the bandaged, battered and blinkered Kagami. It's a sight that pierces him as surely as any thunderbolt. Revy is back in the shotgun seat and ready to get off but Rock is frozen, tense and inert — breathing the name "Kagami". Revy has little patience with this.

« Right on Rock; that's Fujiyamako Kagami — seems the only one in town who doesn't know her is me. Stop dicking around and drive; I wanna grab a shower. »

« NO ! ! ! Not "Fujiyamako" … Okajima … Okajima Kagami. »

« How the hell ? »

Rock responds brokenly, disjointedly.

« She's my cousin; no not "cousin" but related. Few years younger than me. Always hero worshipped me. Must've not wanted me dead. Don't know. Going to talk to her. »

BAM ! ! ! Rock is slammed back and pinned to his seat as Two Hand thrusts her face into his.

« Save it Rock; she's all outta time. It was a corpse I pulled outta that autowreck. If the Doc hasn't got her under by now all you can do is put flowers on her grave. Better pray he's got some blood on tap; most of her's is here. Move your ass an we're outta here. »

Two Hand raises her crimsoned arm in the air (to where they both can see it) some of the blood is still raw and wet. She shifts her grip from pinning Rock to pulling him and drags him over the gearbox to the shotgun seat, the one that she's backing out of. Soon as she's made the exchange and he's become the passenger, she goes around and seizes the driving seat. As they move off Rock begins to speak; even adding in a seated bow.

« Revy I know we're not big on manners in Lagoon but it's not how I was brought up and I gotta thank you; I owe you. She'd never have made it here at all if you hadn't done what you did. Revy, there's a skill in your hands that'd bring you a tycoon's ransom in Roanapur; why're you blowing that playing gunslinger? Even if I'd chugged all the rum from Bao's I'd not've thought of you as a Band Aid Maid. What's with that? »

« Don't you go sniffing round my past again! There's nothing there but a row of rusty old tin cans waitin' for guys like you to come along an' kick them over. Guy? You're just a Tokyo Boy, same as those Nip Kids in the park; dreaming of gunfights that end clean an' fade out in a golden sunrise. There's nothing clean down where we are. »

WHAM ! ! ! Revy slams a dirty, bloody handprint onto the dash in front of Rock

« You got jigsaws in your country Rock? They've got them in New York but never for the urchins running past the storefronts. Only time I got to do jigsaws was in a gang I was in back when. Their medic got his legs blasted clean off so all he could do was sit an' teach me jigsaws — human jigsaws. We'd got ourselves in some wars an I hadda pick up all the human scraps an put them back together. You gotta know Rock it scars your soul; who you can save, who you can't. Don't keep fooling yourself Rock.

SMASH ! ! ! Revy punches out the driver-side window. Rock jumps; looks scared at her.

« We're all playing in the Devil's Casino an' the dice are loaded. Nobody gets saved. Body or spirit they're broken an' the only cure is six foot of earth. Why dick around; put a bullet through their heart an' be done. »

« Then how come you're shrouded in her blood; it's like your second skin and your wrist; I guess you could mould dentures from it. Is she still nothing but a bowling pin to you? »

« Sure she is, what else could she be. You. Me. Her. Thats all we are. Only she's got a face an' a heart now that I don't wanna hear stop beating. Don't you ever repeat that Rock; the town'd laugh itself sick. »

« Revy, whatever happens between me and my cousin after this … well, it wouldn't even be possible if you hadn't been there. I'm not laughing. »

Rock puts two cigs in his mouth; lights them; puffs them up and puts one in Revy's lips.

Before he can add words to his actions the phone goes off from the glovebox. It is Chang wanting a meet, with the two of them most specifically, and an immediate meet at that.

« That's fucked my shower. Don't wanna keep Boss Chang hanging when our last job just got blown to hell. Rock, call up Dutch; lettim know what's gone down an' where we're going. He can do the report to Sis Yolanda for us an' all. »

With all outstanding business taken care of, Two Hand lets Rock play the automaton while she looks as near like a zombie driver as anything with the amount of crimson sheeting her. The pair of them have no idea of what Chang could be wanting with them but, being as they cut out Kagami before she could reach bosstown, and she is the only kewpie doll in town the interview doesn't promise to go easy. Rock fears they'll be adding their own blood to Two Hand's responder dappling all to soon.


	11. Triad Mob

**«» — ALOHA BOOM BOOM — «»**

 **«» Chapter Eleven «»**

 **«» Triad Mob «»**

 **o0O¥O0o** **—** **11 — o0O¥O0o**

True to her word Revy soon has her and Rock being ushered into Chang by an underling. Boss Chang is sitting in the middle of the three couches that bracket his picture window over Roanapur. He has his arms spread along the couchback; possessing all of it in a relaxed and commanding manner. Indolently he gestures the Lagoon pair to the flanking couches, without even troubling to turn round, as he begins to talk.

« Revy, Rock good that you're here; I've a piece of business I'd prefer to keep between us if poss … REVY! what've you got into? »

Chang has caught his first sight of Revy the Red as she parks on the couch to his left. Her eyes shoot bullets at Rock on the far couch, making it plain there'll be lead bullets flying his way, if he adds anything to her reply.

« Just doing what I always do Babe; wallowing in blood. Got anything to cut the smell? »

« I'd be the worst host if I hadn't wouldn't I? This'll paint you forty shades of blue, all the way from the green fields of Ireland and destined for the land of the Rising Sun »

Biu pours out neat Tryconnell Whiskey: four fingers to each of the ill-assorted grouping. The shoulder of the bottle is well cleared by the time he recorks it. With the niceties settled, Chang resumes his dialogue.

« The cargo company transporting our drinks was unlucky enough to lose control of their shipping manifest and, not long after that, of their ship, crew and cargo. Rock; you were part of a major trading company before you joined Lagoon you won't have forgotten how important managing information is. »

Chang pauses and idly picks the whiskey bottle off the table and swings it in his hands; giving Rock time to reply.

« Yes; all the companies I dealt with felt strongly about trust and discretion and … »

CRASH ! ! ! — The bottle has leapt out of Chang's hands to smash on the floor scattering dashes of glass and spirit widely and wildly about the room. Rock and Biu jump, Revy tosses back her glass but never takes eyes off Chang as he picks up from Rock

« And when that's shattered it can't be recovered. You can't pour whiskey back into a broken bottle or blood back into a broken town. Roanapur is on a thin edge right now and it's only luck that's held things together so long. and not the kind of luck that can last. So far the only people who know about the datamine that's walking round town either have reasons to keep quiet or are past talking. »

Two Hand slams her empty glass onto the table as a ringing coda to that analysis. Biu is there, at once, with a fresh bottle, to refill her glass and freshens Chang's. Rock waves Biu off, having much greater concerns than a social glass.

« Excuse me Mr Chang but I can't see what your difficulty is here or why you're involving us. I'm surprised you didn't snatch up a resource like her as soon as you found out, or are you hoping I'll act as your agent? I've just completed a contract like that for the Church of Violence but I'd have thought you were big enough not to need me. »

« You're right of course Rock. It'd be no difficulty for me to secure her, if I desired to, but I've no great wish to make like Ronnie the Jaws. »

« He's fucking right Rock; all the gangs in this town aren't nothing but tigers held back by rotten. corroded hawsers. Dangle a piece of meat like Kagami in front of them an' they'll bust free of their leashes to gulp her down. Shit they'll tear each other to pieces an' pull the town down around our ears for the chance. Yeah, an' if any of them is fool enough to hold onto her they'll be buying themselves prime real estate in hell; 'cos all of the other gangs'll come crashing down on them. »

Revy and Chang exchange a look, then swig the last of their glasses, in a silent accord to this dissection of Roanapur. Biu is prompt to keep the hospitality and whiskey flowing, open-handedly serving four-fingers a time.

« You see my dilemma then; I've no need of extra ammunition to maintain my position and I stand to lose far more than I'd gain by taking possession of her. Balalaika will have her own agenda; as always. Regrettably, I know that the other gangs in town won't view matters with so much discretion. »

Chang raises his head, to gaze out of his picture window, at volcanic Roanapur. He sips his whiskey, muses, continues.

« Once the word begins to spread then the bloodbath that researcher brought down on the Italian Mafia will seem like a summer shower. No! We'll simply have to ship her home before it goes so far. You two saw Japan not that long ago; your experiences are fresh — can I rely on you to convince her? »

« What the fuck Babe; you screwing with us?, Didn't you hear how I got my leg carved like a Thanksgiving Turkey back in Tokyo. When Sis moved her gang in we were bowling heads. You wanna send Kagami back to Japan; save the fare an' march her right up the street to the Hotel Moscow Offices; it'll do the same job. »

Two Hand, afire with recall of Tokyo, chugs her glass empty in a gulp. Chang has been taking a long, appreciative draw of his glass during this exchange now he puts it down to lean forward, rest his arms on his knees and clasp his hands together. He seems most grimly amused. Biu discreetly refills the glasses of the two who were once a gun-team.

« That is a complication isn't it; all the girl can hope for in Roanapur is a memorial tablet at best but if she returns to the corporate heartland she's just as likely to be caught or killed. However, that'd only be after the very same sort of turf war we're trying to avoid; here in Roanapur. A worthwhile export. The Tokyo Underworld could stand a good dose of turmoil. I've hardly any reason to wish Hotel Moscow good fortune in their expansion. »

Rock lunges to his feet and stumbles into the table, (upsetting all the drinks and knocking his glass over, to send it flying off the table) as he leans forward and expostulates with Chang.

« And what about Kagami; you're treating her as if she's nothing but some kinda Typhoid Mary. But she is somebody; a living, breathing, caring human being. For all that you mind you'd be just as happy to dump her body offshore to be washed in by the tide; provided it worked for you. Why torture us with this? »

« What else would you expect from me, Rock? I'm a gangboss not a kandiflos seller. As for torture, you're well able to manage that yourself. Cast your eye over these photos, the second one was taken just today; I'm really interested to hear your comments. »

Chang lays two photos side by side in front of Rock as Biu sets up fresh glasses for all. Rock gags out the whiskey he is about to swallow and heaves out a deep sigh, then he lifts his hands in the air in surrender. Even from where she is sitting Revy can see that they are photos of Rock and Kagami and (set up like so) the family resemblance is irrefutable.

« There isn't really any hope I can deny this is there? Yes we're related; that's why she is here: to try and reclaim me. There's no way she can possibly achieve that but I'll move heaven and earth to get her away safely; I hope you can understand that Mr Chang. »

« Naturally, I've got some sympathy for you Rock; after all the Triad is a kind of a family too. Besides that; l'm intrigued to know how you'll move the pieces on this board. Especially when Lagoon is already a target and Lucky Luigi is gunning for vengeance. »

Two hand shares one of her trademark grins with Chang: as she trumps him and drains her glass in a toast.

« Babe; only fucking thing Luigi is gonna be gunning, after today, is a harp in hell. »

« Revy, Revy, Revy; why do I concern myself with gang wars when I have you to worry about? Perhaps you'd be good enough to stand back and give Rock some room to play. Rock, you have until tomorrow night to stage another Bloodhound of Florencia but if the town starts jiving I won't hesitate to Fedex your alter ego direct to Tokyo. So until tomorrow; Biu will see you out. Two Hand … try to make time to have a shower. »


	12. Lagoon Mob

**«» — ALOHA BOOM BOOM — «»**

 **«» Chapter Twelve «»**

 **«» Lagoon Mob «»**

 **o0O¥O0o** **—** **12— o0O¥O0o**

As they head back out to the car they hear the phone they've left there already ringing. Revy has the door open and the phone snatched up in a flash; it's Dutch. She tosses the phone to Rock and takes the driving seat to head back to Lagoon Offices. She's a lot more used to driving cars in this kinda condition and a sight more easy with it than Rock. He has the phone on speaker, so she can join in.

« Good to know half of my fucking workforce hasn't been snatched by aliens. What did Chang want? »

« The same as he always wants, to keep Roanapur quiet. Meaning he expects me to get Kagami out of town; before she raises any more trouble with the gangs or Hotel Moscow. If I can't do it by tomorrow night Chang will use her to stir up a gang war back in Tokyo. »

« Sorry to hear about your family troubles Rock but I gotta say that girl is turning into a pot of gold for us. The Church of Violence says you kept your deal with them, by saving the girl, and they'll pay out on that. Makes up for me having to send Benny and his laptop to spend the night with them. »

« Damnit Dutch! Like I won't always try to save her. I just did what I had to; I wasn't thinking of any contract. And Benny! Did you have to offer him up as a goodwill hostage or something? »

« Clients! Sometimes they just gotta piss on you from the top of a skyscraper. Sister Yolanda sent you off on your wild Jap chase but she still wanted her translations done; so all I could manage was to hire her Benny and his systems. »

« Sucks to be him » — This from Revy

« Sucks to be you, Revy. I had a call in from Balalaika; she heard you cut off the heads of the Italian gang and took a good chunk out of her pals from Hotel Moscow; those shit shooters over at the Yellow Flag. »

« Ah crap! I'm just gonna drive this car into the sea right fucking now. »

« It's cool Revy. Balalaika doesn't want those goons here any more than the rest of us. She just wants them to feel Roanapur's claws before she lays out her cards. She's playing games against her bosses, so it's gotta be under the radar. Meaning that she wants you to take out an army and make sure there's no shit on her. Wanna trade with Benny? »

« Fuckshit no! Taking on those limpdicks will be like taking on a shooting gallery. »

« That's cool. Enthusiasm is to be respected. Rock, Balalaika want's to get hold of a case of dirt that washed in with your countryman. Can you handle it. »

« Uh, I'm not sure I can. Lucky Luigi made a bonfire outta the car it was in, but the girl is alive over at Doc Heartland's. I'll get her first thing in the morning. »

« It always please me to know my employees are so agreeable. That's why I've okayed it for Balalaika to have a cameraman shadow Revy and make a record of the hunt for her. You're to meet up at the office tonight; to be ready for an early start. »

« Goddamn, buggering, fuckshit; you trying to get me killed here. »

« Don't sweat it Revy; take the deal; bite the bullet and … if the cameraman is too much flak, simply make him collateral damage. »

« That go for Rock too? »

« I think we're done here Dutch. We'll talk back at the office; okay » Rock hangs up.

Soon enough they're closing in on the offices, to the sounds of a quiet day in Roanapur: the crack of single-shots, the patter of rapid fire and the boom of explosives. The sky is darkening, as evening draws in, and flashes of gunfire and coronas of detonations burn in the retina. Dutch is waiting for them, standing in front of the window and backlit by the destructive tableau. Revy pounces at him.

« Hey Dutch if you wanna bunk me up with some cunting pornmaker you're gonna haveta let us crash out here. Not gonna have their shitsteps tromping all over my place. Gotta problem with that? »

« It's fine by me Revy; if you oversleep I get to kick you out of bed. »

« Kay. Now I'm gonna take a shower; keep this cocksucking blood on me much longer an I swear it's gonna dye me fucking red for the rest of my life. »

Dutch has to raise his voice to reply; as a small war lights up the window behind him and rattles the office with the sound of ordnance.

« No can do Revy. Shower is out again. Hell: it's been dying on it's cunting knees ever since Jane got this buggering place trashed to shitting crap. You just can't get a decent plumber anywhere. »

Just as this moment Rock appears with the cameraman he has let in; arresting Revy in her tracks, as she eye's Sawyer standing there. The chainsaw butcher is staring at Revy in awe and wonderment, as she takes in the gunsel's abattoir state. All of Revy's legs, her hands and half of her arms are streaked with blood; top and trunks are turned dark and stiff with ichor; the bare pink skin of Revy's belly and back is crimson; the bloody tide has risen over Revy's face and into her hair.

After this scrutiny Revy takes her turn in interrogating Sawyer; into how it is that she is the filmtoter. While she arranges herself, Sawyer explains how some of her clients like a film record. This piques Revy's interest and she probes around till she gets Sawyer to dump out the samples she has brought with her; next Revy gets Rock to help her set up for a video night in. Dutch takes a glance at what's on offer then opts for the boat for the night.

Rock elects to join the girls on the sofa. It's something he quickly regrets when he experiences the unholy amusement of Revy and Sawyer at the fun games on the screen — cheerful episodes of a man being made to eat his manhood and worse. Sawyer is more than a cleaner; she is an interogator too and these are her work records. Revy and Sawyer just can't get enough of it but Rock can't even keep his meal in at the sight of it and certainly isn't going to sit through a night of it; so he beats an inglorious retreat to the boat, chased down the stairs by all too intimate girl chat.

 **o0O¥O0o** **—** **A.N— o0O¥O0o**

 **KK. Yes. We are talking that Sawyer keeps a vid of every person she has tortured to buggery. It so much called for more and so I writ it up as a separate story: A Girls Night. Read it if ye like but it has a shyte load of squick in it. One of my reviewers said the only way to read fic was with barf breaks yet he enjoyed it. So ye is warned. Enjoy the dark n bloody? Chase it up *evil-grin***


	13. Bloodstained Morning

**«» — ALOHA BOOM BOOM — «»**

 **«» Chapter Thirteen «»**

 **«» Damned Morning «»**

 **o0O¥O0o** **—** **13 — o0O¥O0o**

Rock is eager to make an early start in the morning. He can't wait to see how his cousin is at Doc Heartland and learn how she ended up in a dirty old town like Roanapur. Right after he has seen her, seen how she is doing (after the attack yesterday) he means to send her right out of town.

When the horrorshow of Sawyer's work videos drove Rock to join Dutch in the boat, the Japanee took the chance to ask for a true report of how Garcia is doing. The truth is as bad as Revy had warned him, just like Yukio, the young Lovelace is having to beat the vultures back from his inheritance with little more than a bamboo cane, not to mention the wolves prowling for revenge on the invalid Rosarita.

Rock passed a sickened night, at the railings of the boat, the ghoul-play of Revy and Sawyer danced in his mind and he could not help but imagine Kagami suffering under the attentions of Sawyer and Revy. The many dreadful fates awaiting his cousin, if he could not find her a place to stand in the world; they made him that fearful, he almost felt she might be best off dead.

Come the dawn, the day and the scope for action he was the same man that Yukio had known and just as caring. Rock isn't crazy though (not more than any of the Living Dead) and he tallies up the forces against his cousin: the Roanapur Underworld, Chang, Balalaika, and the Ersatz Army; so many factions hungry for the dirt Kagami has dug up. He can't go into this unarmed, he needs his gun, he needs Revy.

That gun is on duty for other purposes but not (Rock figures) at the crack of dawn; they can have Kagami met, set and quietly away long before Revy has to put a squadron away. He has no regrets for calling her out so early, if her idea of a nice night in is to get her chuckles from Sawyer's torture movies, it isn't his. For him, last night was a wakeful hell: as soon as he fell into repose, into slumber, into dream he had come screaming awake from his nightmares. Rock would have been happy to pass to his grave without knowing the horrors those two girl ghouls admired.

Coming to the top of the stairs to the office he catches a sight of one bare, black-gloved, blood-encrusted, arm flopping over the end of the sofa; a knife glints on the floor, just under the curling fingers. Revy hasn't woken yet and his heart warms. Rock loves these moments, when he catches Revy unawares and asleep: she always seems so soft, gentle and innocent in those moments … not the killer firebrand that prowls awake. Quietly and oh so carefully he paces up to the couch to steal that one precious, rare chance to see Revy at peace. It seems his day will go so well.

NOOOOOO ! ! !

His mind screams — his day will go to hell.

Revy is sprawled and twisted on the sofa; she's just as bloodstained as she was the day before; but now he can see how much of it soaked through and spread — both between her legs and across her breasts. Revy is as naked as a bayonet; Rock's eyes latch on one bare, crimson breast; he can't tear his gaze away from it or the hand that cups it — Sawyer's hand. Revy's own hand has come to rest folded around Sawyer's crotch.

The goth girl hasn't a stitch on her either; scarlet bites, slashes and burns stand out strikingly against her china skin; the steel of another knife lies against one thigh. Revy also sports those trophies, from their night of dark passions: bitemarks, blademarks and scorchmarks litter her skin.

Revy's own fresh blood twines about the older, darker blood of yesterday, that she is yet clad in. Just as the lithe, crimson length of Revy is entwined with the slender chiaroscuro of Sawyer — it all blurs into an image of bloody, butchered meat and stark, skeletal bone bound into an unholy embrace.

Rock feels his empty stomach lurch and makes for the stairs as rapidly as if all of the Vyostoniki were at his heels. He'll grab the car, eat at a café and go on for Kagami by himself. Revy can get herself up; he can't think how he's going to be able to look at her later on; the vision of those twisted girls is branded on his mind for eternity. Well so, he'll manage without Revy for now — what can go wrong anyway?

= }{ — }{ — }{ — }{ — }{ — }{ — }{ — }{ — }{ — }{ - }{ — }{ — }{ — }{ — }{ — }{ — }{ — }{ =

Revy feels a hand on her shoulder and wakes in a blink; flashing and slashing up with her knife so she nearly has Dutch gutted before she knows who it is.

« That how you wake your bitches, Dutch? »

« My bitches don't get early morning calls from Doc Heartland. He's holding. »

« Kay »

Dutch jerks his thumb over his shoulder then his eyebrows snap up … as Revy says Good Morning to Sawyer with a kiss worth a triple x rating. That done, the gunsel pads over to the phone just as she is, all blood and bare skin; there are no magic sheets in this movie. She takes the call.

« Morning, Two Hands; you need to get over here yesterday. I had a dawn raid from some crazy Russkies Not a problem for me, you know how I've got this place fortified, but your partner drove into my backyard and right into them. Half the gang took him and his car off to the Flag, even if the place is bust up »

« Fuck Rock. Getting his ass kidnapped by those clowns. They got the buggering car too; damn it » Revy swears and calls out to Sawyer to prep their gear; as she keeps listening.

« The other half are camped down outside. I've conned them into taking my reject drugs. They're panned but they won't shift. Worst of it is my patient wants to run out there and hand herself in. You're not to let her get killed; not after I've bust my gut fixing her up. »

« Tell the Japass I'm coming; that'll pacify her. See ya. » — Revy disconnects.

Sawyer has been the perfect aide de camp; so all that remains is for Revy to sling on her still bloodied top, trunks and boots; then load up for bear and they're ready. She gives a running brief to Dutch and Sawyer, as she preps.

« Shitheaded Siberian wannabes got the doc penned and Rock's gotten his sorry ass kidnapped over to the Flag. Gonna clear up Doc Heartland, stash the Japass then bust that limpdick outta trouble. It'll be a buggering crapshoot; keep the camera rolling an' Balalaika will be sweet, Catch ya Dutch »

Then they're gone; leaving Dutch to wonder about the best way to use the dawn snaps he's just taken.


	14. Doc Heartland

**«» — ALOHA BOOM BOOM — «»**

 **«» Chapter Fourteen «»**

 **«» Doc Heartland «»**

 **o0O¥O0o** **—** **14 — o0O¥O0o**

Sawyer and Revy, meanwhile, make swift time through the streets of Roanapur, on Revy's motorbike. They pull up to the front of Doc Heartland; their arrival hidden in the buzz of everyday traffic. They're not making any calls on Heartland until they're done with his unpleasant visitors. They head for the roof; there is a guard up there but, against these two, he may as well be a scarecrow.

In short order they're in command of the roof and at an overhang. From there they can see the shambolic, zoned-out and drugged-up regiment from Ferrograd. Rather than an army, it looks like the fallout of an all-night party. Sawyer has the luxury to set up her camera just as she likes, while Revy attends to the semi-auto she's brought along.

They're two professionals at what they do, so it is no time at all before they're ready to stage their assault. Sawyer adjusts her vocoder then roars out in a stentorian, sergeant-major voice: Atttteeeennnn-SHUN! The Muscovite wrecks below rouse themselves to come to attention.

They catch up rifles, polish muddy butts, scrub mouths, rub eyes, straighten jackets, grab caps and jam them on. In mortal fear of the wrath of Vlad Monsel the soldiers (who in truth are no more than the peons of his estates with brief training) they all form into the best ranks they can.

It is a ragged and crooked formation but it is a neat package of humans in a row and Revy mows them all down. They collapse like snowmen before a flamethrower. It can't be two minutes before all the troops are Cossack Dancing in the flames of hell. The two girls fling themselves into each other's arms, weak with mirth. It turns out that, if Sawyer can't speak, she can surely laugh — even if it sounds like a gal being strangled in a bath of acid.

The yardsteps to the ground are entirely unguarded now, as Revy makes her way down and Sawyer remains above, to keep filming. The smooth rescue abruptly fractures: Kagami bursts out of the Doc's and is caught by the one Russian who had wits to hide under the stairway. He has a blade and is using Kagami as a human shield and (from where she is) Revy has no way to shoot his ass out from under him — so she simply rushes forward and slams into Kagami.

The Japanese is blasted out the goon's arms and he suddenly finds himself in a clinch with Revy instead. This once, though, her plans aren't carrying through as well as she intends. Her arms have got trapped between their two bodies, as they grapple, meaning her hands and her handguns are out of action and out of use, even if she is still holding them.

More than this: he has his knifehand free and Revy has to twist, turn, tug and tussle for all she is worth; to stop him from getting that one pure strike which will end all her fights. She's taking altogether too much damage in cuts and gashes to her side and arm.

It all ends in blood and violence and two bodies slumping together. The boom and crack of Revy's gun; that she got around to enough of an angle to get one lonely shot out of. One bullet, entering at the lower ribs and exiting at the shoulder blade yet passing through the heart along the way, kills as surely as a hundred.

It's cost Revy powder burns, a rip in her top and a gouge under her breast but all far better than her as the one to spill out her life. From the deadweight of this last army peon, a crimson fountain sprays out: coating the bareness of Revy's shoulders and upper arms; as well as striking at her neckline to river down her torso. Revy pushes the body off of her and lets it crumple like a sack of rice.

« The hell! It's pissing blood now; can't anyone shitting well die clean anymore. I'm not some kinda fucked up, walking slaughterhouse. »

« No! No you are not! Not at all! You're my Guardian, my Red Angel. I was sure, I knew I'd be safe once you had arrived and were here. Four times, twice two times in two days, you've kept me alive »

Kagami is buzzing and about to pounce a hug on Revy when the gunsel steps back and holds up a hand.

" Big shitting deal Japass. Lemme see what kinda ragdoll the doc has made outta you. »

The Suit no longer wears a suit; in its place is a Nehru, black jacket with golden, oriental dragons chasing across it. The accompanying trousers are of the same material and tint but plain. Kagami has kept her own shoes but gained socks and is coin-eyed in black glasses. A neckerchief acts as a sling; again it is black but with red skulls n cutlasses lain across it. Revy bugs her eyes, the salarywoman has actually got cool. The gunsel yells to the Doc.

« See ya got your fuckshit catwalk nurse in house again. »

« Yes, she's done your friend up nicely. It all adds to the bill, naturally. Who do I send that to and what am I meant to do with this abattoir? »

« Piss on you Doc. You've got enough spare parts to last till kingdom come. Scrape up whatever crap you fancy an' call Chang to clear the rest. Yeh and send Mr Shades the fuck bill too. »

« Revy! Please! I don't want any part of your suicide bids. Be serious a minute can't you. »

« I'm serious as a buggering nun, Doc. Ring up Chang and tell him it's the fucking price he's gotta pay to keep his bomb ticking. Me an' Sawyer got us a crapshoot waiting over at the Flag. See ya. »

With that Revy hops back onto the motorbike and Sawyer grabs the pillion. The filmista has come down to yard, once the action is over and all that's left to record is dull chat. The injured nipponese (in desperate need of rest and care) is wedged onto the motorcycle, between two of Roanapur's darkest butchers. They rocket off at a speed that has Kagami white-faced, even before Revy starts taking the bends and the traffic as if she is looking for a shortcut to hell.


	15. Sloppy Swing

**«» — ALOHA BOOM BOOM — «»**

 **«» Chapter Fifteen «»**

 **«» Sloppy Swing «»**

 **o0O¥O0o — 15 — o0O¥O0o**

For all of the bat outta hell ride to the Flag, Revy is smart enough to throttle back, idle down and sneak up on the caravanserai. With a fierce warning to Kagami (to remain with Sawyer and hold back from the action) the threesome make it to the roof, above the Sloppy Swing, without being detected.

It gives Sawyer time to arrange her camera at one of the skylights, using a focus that will let her catch all of the devastation, that Revy is about to unleash on the Russians, who've taken over the upper and inviolate saloon. They can see Rock: over by the entry to the hall; he is locked up in the ticket booth and clearly visible through the glass upper half. With Rock safely out of the firing line, Revy is free to do whatever she cares to. Yet so, Sawyer has a final word.

« Hey Revy. You got a show out of me last night. You gonna give me one now? Way we fucked Rock's head, I wanna do the same with Fryface. »

« Shit you! » Are Revy's last words, before she smashes feet first, through a skylight.

Revy flys down, above the stage, and her legs clamp around one of the poles there. Her body descends, twisting around the shaft, in a stunning pole-dancer entrance. Spiralling down, Revy has her guns out and firing; at every turn she lashes a parabola of death over the audience of Vlad Monsel's shrunken force. They will never know it but their killer is plugging into her own personal soundtrack and they are dying to the tune of Fujiyama Attack and Invader Ace by Guitar Wolf.

Rock is safe (caged in the ticket booth) and Vlad is quick to find cover but all else fall like tents in a hurricane. Yet so, Revy seems likely be the next to fall: all surviving gunhands are pointing at the spot where she must halt and stand. Not so: the moment her feet hit stage, Revy falls into a split and all of their bullets fly above her, while every shot of hers counts tally on another corpse.

Next of all, she flips into a roll, across to the second pole, and handsprings to nearly the top. From there it is another death-dealing spiral earthwards. For all that Revy is coming down head first this time, It makes no difference to the amount of fatalities.

There are a bare handful of the entire Russian platoon left, for when Revy hits the stage and her hands press on the floor, to send her into a twist into the pit. The guns that had meant to cross out her life (at the bullseye of her landing) are left helpless, at Revy's sudden arrival in front of them, they go down to the final gulag before they even know that they are dead.

For all of that: Revy and Sawyer are entirely taken up in shooting, so neither of them notice, when Kagami notices Rock in his glazen cage. Miss Business makes short work of finding a path to Rock and bursting into conversation with him, oblivious to the gunbursts around her.

« Rokuro! Alive! Living. I knew, I was sure you had to be. »

Kagami calls out as she enters by the main door. She keeps on speaking, as she tries the cage door but finds it key-locked.

« So much was wrong and shifty when Asahi Industries buried you, But nobody doubted or quibbled. It was only me, only myself who vowed, who believed you'd turn up again. »

She eels her small hand through the ticket-window, to grasp Rock's hand, the only physical contact they can make, as things are.

« I hunted and searched, I swore to find you but the only single clue was Roanapur. Then everyone, all of them here lied and cheated and pretended you didn't exist. How could they! »

« Kagami, I really am glad to see you again but I'm sorry you can't get Okajima Rokuro back.

Rock grips her one hand tightly within his two clasped hands, to reassure her as much as he can. He has a cruel truth to explain to her.

« Asahi Industries did kill him out in the South China Seas; there was nothing of that man or that life to go back to. I'm an independent trader now, I work with a very small and tough crew. They know me as Rock, everyone does, that actually is who I am now. Okajima Rokuro is only a name under a tombstone. All you can do is go home and be safe. Please »

Kagami snatches back her hand and starts to beat on the glass with her tiny fists. It is lucky for the both of them that the row she is kicking up is drowned in the storm Revy is kicking up.

« No, No, No! It isn't real! It isn't true! Roanapur came to Japan. I found you, caught you by tracing and chasing them. But you never, ever were a gangster. You never could or would shoot or stab anyone. I Challenge you. I Dare you. Tell me I'm wrong. »

Rock bows his head down for long moments (staring at the ground, staring at his past) then looks up, to gaze into his cousin's eyes.

« You're right, I was only meant to be there as a translator for Hotel Moscow. It's true, Balalaika did give me a gun but I wasn't able to use it, my hand never feels right with a gun. It's not a tool I'm comfortable with. »

Rock buries his face in his hand and sighs.

« It doesn't matter. Not in this town. I've got a gun to suit me and I've killed plenty with her. »

« But why, how, when … when you were back: why didn't you come home, why didn't you return. You've done nothing bad, nothing wrong, there are no charges against you in Japan. I know, I'm sure: I've dug deep, looked far; I know you. You belong with us. »

Rock sighs « Yes, Revy said the same things to me. She tried to make me go back. She even came to my home town with me, twice, and who knows what kind of hell that was for her. I got as far as the door of my old house. I even had my finger on the bell but it was as if … »

AAARRRGGGHHHH

Kagami screams, as a fleeing Vlad, races past and snatches her by the waist as he goes; snatches away the one moment when Rock was almost honest with himself and his family. All that is left is a caged and impotent Rock, the patter of running footsteps and the stutter of Revy's guns, writing the epitaph on the Ferrograd Division.

Brief instants later, Revy is at the cage and shooting out the lock to free Rock. Yet so, she is too late by a million years. Rock is hardly grateful for his liberty, as it is paid for by the captivity of the cousin, that he is so desperate to save. Yet so, from almost every point of view, except his, they have won out.

It is, as near as it can be, an outright victory for Roanapur, against outsider wannabes. Yet so, trust Kagami to smear the picture: while Sawyer and Revy, were busy she found her way down to the Sloppy Swing and went to free Rock from the ticket booth. The only thing she has done though is to leave herself free to be caught by Vlad Monsel, as he runs from the carnage that is Revy.

Balalaika has a film to bring tears to her eyes, the threesome of Rock, Sawyer and Revy are united and the chaos is over. Yet so, the job is pure banjaxed with the loss of Kagami. Sawyer's part is done, she has to go and prep and deliver her personal Eisenstein.

Rock and Revy are left with the chore of tracking and retaking Kagami, while taking Monsel's life. He's the last mortal survivor of the ersatz army that stormed into Roanapur so cockily a day ago. In Roanapur, yesterday's crowing cockerel is today's chicken soup.

Vlad Monsel isn't a known creature or habituated to Roanapur, so it is anyone's guess as to where he is fled. The best that Revy, Sawyer and Rock can do is pile onto the gunsel's motorbike and hit their separate destinations. Vlad Monsel commandeered Rock's car (Benny's car on loan) back at the Doc's and the Russian has kept it, to make his getaway.

Sawyer drops off at her place, while Rock and Revy head back to Lagoon base, to get Balalaika to screen Roanapur for intel. However, they are beaten to the punch. Dutch has a message for them, as soon as they arrive. Vlad has rung up the shipping company, to be told his original contract is void, and he has shot back with a threat against Kagami, unless he and she are given safe passage out of Roanapur.

It is left to Rock to call the Muscovite back and explain the situation: which is that a high price is set on the Russian's head and he will need to be met and escorted to the boat. A meet is set up in the scrubland of the fountain park (the very place Hansel died), as Rock assures Vlad that Balalaika is too much a town girl to ever be there. They agree that the girl of Lagoon will meet with Vlad and settle him. That their girl and Vlad's nemesis are one and the same is something Rock neglects to mention.

Benny has spent overnight at the Gun Church and is still there, working on the manuals that Sister Yolanda wants translated. Thankfully for all of Lagoon, he is unaware his car has been hijacked by an upstart Russian. It leaves Revy to bike her and Rock over to the agreed rendezvous; she will leave him close by and then go on to meet Vlad alone, it is up to Revy to be on the spot and to close the affair. With mikes from off the boat, the pair of them are okay to discuss strategy en route, even on a motorbike.

« So, Revy, what are we gonna do? I know you can get Kagami free of that Russian but what then. She's stumbled into our world out of nothing but family loyalty. That kind of courage deserves respect, even from us. But she's hunting a ghost and she'll never win. Okajima Rokuro died in the South China Seas; she'll never find him now. That isn't even the issue, though. I can get her out of town okay but then I gotta find her a place she can live out her life, like Garcia has.

Through the mike, Revy's laughter rings mockingly.

« Fuck you Rock. Told ya Garcia faces the Alamo every single day. Guess I stink pretty bad by now but it's roses to the smell of shit offa you. You made yourself into Allah, Buddha an' Jehova, all rolled together, when you made the fate of all those strays your biz. »

Revy draws her pistol and blasts a male-model ad-sign clean in the heart. The road is forgotten, for the moment, as they face the long road they have travelled with one another.

« I'm your gun Rock but, however things might've turned out it was your choices that wrote the final chapters on Jumbo, Yuki an' Gretel. They died rough an' you put them there. What ya gonna do for a cuz that has the whole world gunning for her? »

Don't blame me Revy, pity and innocence dragged them all through hell, for the sake of others. But this time I'm the one at the eye of the storm, so long as Kagami lives we can meet up and she'll know I'm not that whipped cur out of the winter city anymore. She'll see I've found my place in the world and she can go home with a clear conscience. She can marry, raise kids and grow old in peace.

« The Hell! Rock we're all dead and drowning in this sea of blood; that's why you never can save anyone. They're out in the deep and you're paddling in the shallows. With all the crap in her skull she's blackmail central and a knife in the back for every gang around. There isn't anywhere in the shitting world that there won't be eyes an' claws out for her.

Rock touches a hand to his pocket, the one with the wallet, where a picture of Yukio sits. It is his reminder of all the fractured lives that have split apart under his hands and now he holds the fate of his own cousin in the palm of his hand. What life can he give her?

 **o0O¥O0o — A.N — o0O¥O0o**

 _ **Eisenstein. was an innovative Russian auteur of the monochrome "silent" movie era. One of his most well known films being The Battleship Potemkin.**_


	16. Hansel Park

**«» — ALOHA BOOM BOOM — «»**

 **«» Chapter Sixteen «»**

 **«» Hansel Park «»**

 **o0O¥O0o — 16 — o0O¥O0o**

The meet and cheat with Vlad Monsel falls into place: Revy and Rock motorbike to the fountain and Rock is left there, at the hub and in earshot. Revy walks onwards and into the treeland, to the agreed clearing where she finds both the Russian and the Oriental. When Revy walks into the glade, Vlad quickly pulls himself and Kagami to the far side of the space. He whips a knife out, to threaten the Japanese and pressure Lagoon. His world does a flip. when he grasps just who it is has come to meet him and he vociferates.

« What heinous doublecross are you so bold as to play upon Vladimir Monsel? I was given the promise of an escort of the Lagoon Company. Why is it that you are here? Not that you can do a thing; it is I who have entire command of the situation. »

« Fuck you! I'm Lagoon but The Sis gave us a better deal. Balalaika want's your pissing head in her lap and I'm hell gonna deliver. Bugger the Japass. Kill her if you wanna. Just shows what a useless pisshead you are;. Gonna trash the kewpie doll you've been busting your ass over? Well shit!

With a growl, Vlad pulls his nailgun and winnows the spot Revy is standing on — only she is long gone and moving. Ducking and charging forward, Revy comes in under the arc of fire and barrels into the Russian. His hat goes flying, his gun-arm is knocked wide and the Japanese is broken free. Revy yells out, as she spins away, draws her guns and sets to act.

« Kagami! Get the fuck under cover. »

The Japanese girl totters, as fast as she can, in the opposite direction from Vlad, to shelter behind a fallen log. She hardly waits to catch her breath, before showing her naivety, in calling out to Revy; in the midst of a gun battle.

« Once more, again, you've saved me, preserved me. Six of half a dozen times you've kept me, held me alive and breathing. I felt, I knew I was safe, the instant, the moment my Red Angel walked in. Into that brothel and into this wood. »

« Fuck! Don't count the tombstones till the bodies are buried. »

Revy shouts back, as she attempts to paint a target on Vlad Monsel, who is shooting from the cover of bushes. For all of his inadequacies, the Russian is an artist with his chosen weapon: the nailgun. He can spray out a fusillade of death from behind shrubbery, the hail of steel rips through the foliage and covers the glade. Yet so, Revy is an expert in her field: of standing in the line of fire but out of the line of injury and fatality.

Across, at the fountain square, Rock is sitting and hearing the oh so familiar sound of the Sword Cutlasses in action and the racket of the nail gun. He has seen all too many duels and stand-offs, in his time with Revy: as she fights to save him or to save what is dear to him.

Yet so, all of his strays had more chance than Kagami, not a one of them was as purely innocent and toothless as she. Revy, Chang, Dutch, even Sawyer with her horrorshow: they all have made it plain to Rock that there is no place in the world, not for a lamb with a golden fleece to breath in peace.

The crimson dreams of Japan and the nightmare days of his friends and foes tell Rock, all too viciously, that you can never look back, never go home, never break free of the dark; not once it grips you.

Benny is as like to Kagami as can be yet (in all the time Rock has known him) the technician has never once left the elastic confines of Roanapur. Dutch is a secret wrapped in a mystery. Revy, has left such a trail behind her that the U.S of A will never forget her; nor let her forget. Kagami is no longer safely unknown and never will be again; Rock has seen the cost of that and doesn't know how to save her from paying the toll. While Revy fights to give Kagami liberty, Rock struggles to give his cousin peace.

Revy, meanwhile, is finding the nailgun more deadly than she likes. Bullets, blades, blows and nearly anything she can take and handle it, but shrapnel is her nemesis. A few grenades from Rosarita was all it took to stun Two-Hands and this weapon now is set to blind her. Revy is a gunman and has to know what she aims for, she has to peep out from cover just enough to see and to aim — just enough for her to become a target. It isn't even as safe as that for her in this battle: Vlad can stay hidden and yet still rake the glade with fire. His chosen tool allows him to attack purely blindly.

it isn't merely the steel confetti which threatens Revy but the hailstorm of splinters that chew her over each time the Russian ploughs up yet another tree in the glade. Revy is all over a tracery of scarlet ribbons, not a gash on her is more than a flea bite. Death has been nothing more than a dance partner to her for many a year; it is her eyes she fears for — her eyes: the skill, the rep, the life they earn her.

It absolutely frustrates her and her thoughts boil. How can she be foiled by something as crude as this? There has to be an answer to this vain and showy wannabe soldier in his clown uniform. His uniform! Yes! The hat! It is on the ground, where it has been since she knocked it from his head. Revy falls into a roll and tumbles across the glade to come up behind the cover of another tree, but with the Commander's hat firmly in her grasp.

Commander Vlad Monsel of the Ferrograd Division of Hotel Moscow is a bighead in every way. When Revy jams the man's cap onto her head it drops over her ears … over her eyes. The gunsel deliberately steps out from cover, to stand openly in the glade, with her guns at the ready and her face lowered. She hears a gasp from Kagami (at what looks like a suicide run) and hopes the Japanese will stay put and not get in the line of fire, but if she does there is nothing Revy can do about it; not now she is committed.

Revy is as still, motionless and quiet as the Buddha of Roanapur. She doesn't as much as twitch or shift, even as she hears Vlad moving into position, to get a clear shot at her. She waits and does nothing, while the Russian draws a bead on her. The nailgun ratchets into life. Two Hand springs to life. Her gun snaps out a salvo of shots, at the priming nailgun. Guarded and blinded by her own foe's cap, Revy targets the sound. Two Hand gets off a burst of six.

1 - Silence - Miss

2 - Clang - Nailgun

3 - Crump - Flesh

4 - Crump - Flesh

5 - Crunch - Bone

6 - Silence - Miss

Two Hand had fired at a slant upwards (aiming to traverse the Russian) and the sounds of the impacts and following groans tell her she has done this well enough. The question is if it has been good enough to end the fight. Revy yanks the cap off, minding to keep her gun aimed and her vision unblocked.

The vision that greets her eyes is of the Muscovite sprawling on the ground: there is a hole in the side of his belly, another just under his ribs and one destroyed shoulder; it all adds up to enough to put him out of combat and out of life, if he doesn't get treatment immediately. Vlad knows this and demands it in the most vitriolic manner.

« May that she-demon from Afghanistan rot in the deepest hells for all of eternity. For sheer, petty, spite she refused to warn me that Roanapur is not the name of a town but of a battlezone. You must bear me to that Doctor in town, that I may arise once more, as the vengeful phoenix that will write an end to that warhound. »

Kagami emerges from behind her cover, to stand uncertainly at the edge of the glade. It is all far beyond her and her mind has nearly taken a leave of absence, as she talks.

« Oh Revy, what do we do now. How're we going to get him care and attention. I know, I understand he was the enemy, the foe; but I've had my share, my taste of injury and hurt. I don't wish it or want it for anyone else. He is lost and defeated. We can be merciful and kind. Can't we Revy. »

Revy looks at Kagami in utter bafflement, at this kandiflos viewpoint. She replies tersely.

« I've got just the medicine here. »

Two Hand walks over to the crumpled remnant that was the glory of the Ferrograd Division. She kicks his nailgun away and then plants one foot on Vlad's chest, right where the bullet wound is. It causes the man to groan and then fall silent, as Revy leans over, to stare down at the Muscovites face. The final word is her's.

« Little Tin Soldier! When they read the roll of honour you won't be there. Do svidaniya. »

With that Revy puts one last bullet through the head of a dullard and writes finish to another chapter in Roanapur's bloodstained history.

« R.R. you've saved me so often, so many times. Once when I'd hardly, barely arrived and got here, then twice in that bar. You pulled me, hauled me out of a burning car and got me to a doctor. He told me, he said to me: if hadn't been for you, your care, your treatment I'd have died and been gone long before we reached and got to him. A trio of times. three times over you've rescued me from evil, from villains. But I never knew, never thought, never saw the cost of keeping me safe. The things you've had to do for me, for my cousin. I am so sorry Revy. »

Kagami lurches forward to clinch Revy in a tight hug, as the Nipponese finally breaks down into trembling sobs, with the events of the last few days eventually catching up with her. When she is finally quiet again, she lifts a flushed and tearstained face to Revy and achieves her shortest sentence ever.

« Safe now. »

« Fuck! It's all part of the service. Now let's go find that shitting car. »

They find it not so far off, on the access road to the side of the clearing. The car is a poor spectacle: back, front and side windows gone, wipers absent, scorched and twisted from explosions, the front and rear bumpers showing evidence of hit n run and the rear trunk is a Pollock of blood after being an impromptu surgery.

The sight of it crumples all of Kagami's newly sprung hopes. It reminds her of all that she has lost, of all that has been destroyed.

« No! My briefcase! All of my research, my findings; they were in the cab. The one that blew up and burnt, that exploded and fried. Now I've got nothing, no chance and no hope of winning or making a success of this. All my ammunition, my weapons are gone. »

Revy doesn't so much as reply, as she climbs into the back of the flatbed, to rummage in the tyre-well, under the floor-mat. The gunsel emerges with a sheaf of folders held in her arms.

« Buried this shit while I was busy trying to save your ass. »

Kagami freezes like a statue, except for her mouth and eyes flying wide, (for one long instant) then she pounces on the files and clasps them tightly to herself.

« Revy, Revy, Revy, this is impossible, unbelievable. You've saved me so much, so often but these files are my life. You're a true Red Angel. You've saved me, saved my mission, saved Rokuro too. With these I can lever him out, break him free of Roanapur. I can give my cousin peace and a place in the world. »

Before Revy can even reply: to the bombshell that it is she who has provided to key to unshackle Rock from the chains of Roanapur, the man himself is on the phone to her.

« Revy. It's been quiet for over ten minutes. I take it that means you've won. »

« Got that fucking right Baby, I've got your cousin right here. We're standing by the crap that used to be Benny's car. Tell ya though, I kept my dick promise, it's a wreck but not a shit bullet hole in it. »

« Umm, that's good Revy, I'm glad to hear that but I need to ask you a question. I can get Kagami out of Roanapur okay but I can't get her out the world and that's the only way she'll find peace now. Can you be my gun one more time? »

« Always, Baby. »

« That was Rokuro wasn't it. Oh Revy. Buddha will welcome you into paradise for this. »

« Don't build me up so much. I'm the worst of the Chink Bitches from the gutters of America. I can't protect you from everything … I can't protect you from me. »

Revy's gun snarls and then there are two girls with holes where there hearts should be; one living and one lifeless and who can say which is the worse off.

 **o0O¥O0o — A.N — o0O¥O0o**

 _ **Pollock: an abstract painter known for his canvases of random strings of variegated tints.**_

 _ **Roll of Honour: sure there are rakes of those but that line refs one certain one. Japanese Samurai had a trad of dying to shame a dishonourable chieftain well so and the Irish do too. The latest incarnation was in the Eighties with the Hunger Strikers. The Roll of Honour is the ten who starved themselves to death in the H Blocks rather than submit. Oh yes there were way more than ten in the Blanket Protest, Dirty Protest and Hunger Strike but those are the ones that died and now are enshrined in history.**_


	17. Rock Surrenders

**«» — ALOHA BOOM BOOM — «»**

 **«» Chapter Seventeen «»**

 **«» Rock Surrenders «»**

 **o0O¥O0o** **—** **17 — o0O¥O0o**

Revy stands by the corpse of Benny's car and looks down at the body by her feet. In her skill and zeal she has taken out several scores of pretenders to Balalaika's crown. She has kept her contract perfectly, as usual. She has kept her faith with Rock perfectly, as usual. She has strewn death perfectly, as usual. However, this one body, in front of her now, weighs heavier than all of the Russians. This one time, Revy moves and makes a gesture.

She gathers up the most of the folders that Kagami has dropped and scattered (as the girl dropped into death) and tosses them into the back of the car. Next of all, Revy pulls the limp form of the Nipponese into the back of the flatbed. It was only yesterday that Revy was doing the exact same thing but, the day before, Kagami was alive and could be saved; this day she has faced Two Hand and there is no surviving that.

With the corpse of the Japanese Mission and the corpse of the Japanese herself inside of the car, Revy steps back and raises her cutlass, she ploughs one bullet directly into the fuel tank and the vehicle explodes into flame. Kagami is given a Viking funeral and the only escape from the shadows of Roanapur that she could ever hope for. Somewhile, as Revy stands guard over the death of Rock's past, the man himself comes along, to stand quietly by her, till the last of the flames is died away.

« Revy, I'm sorry I had to ask that of you. Are you okay? »

« Fuck it Rock! That's just one more bowling pin down. Lets see if enough of the Flag is left to give us a drink. »

They use Revy's motorbike to get to the Flag, as every other transport is wrecked, and find that the Yellow Flag too is still wrecked from the assault of the pretender army. The windows are gone, the optics too and most of the stools and tables. It makes no difference: the cellar, the kegs, most bottles are sound.

For so long as there is liquor folks can keep on living. Revy and Rock spend a grand time grounding themselves again. It is only interrupted a single time: by a phone call from Benny. For the once, the laid-back technician is raging down the phoneline to Revy: he cannot take this destruction of the darling that he was given by his darling. All of Revy's assurances (that the burnt-out corpse of a car just took one bullet and it was a mercy shot) only leave him sobbing down the wires.

From there on Revy drags Rock around to the offices of the two main powers of Roanapur and the two main partners of Lagoon. She barters off certain folders to Chang and Balalaika. Hotel Moscow and The Triad get sold the information that Kagami held on them. For Revy this means a tidy amount in her bank account and for Lagoon it means a tidy amount in credit with the players in the town of Roanapur.

The very last call of all is to their own offices, to Lagoon Trading Company, where Revy hands over to Dutch the file on the Church of Violence. The next time he has to fix a deal with that crew he is going to be holding the whip hand. Those three files were the only ones she held back from the immolation and they were the most valuable. Revy is no politician: she is a mercenary and a survivor down to the bone. For all of Rock's protestations she will never abandon an Iron Cross or a profit. This once (however and perhaps) it is good that Revy has earnt coin, by whatever means. Rock says as much.

« Revy, I suppose you did alright out of this, you must have made a good profit. Am I right? »

« Can't complain, Baby. »

« Alright then, let's hit the market. It's about time you bought me my own Aloha Shirt. I don't think I belong in Black and White anymore. »

 **o0O¥O0o** **—** **A.N — o0O¥O0o**

 **YES!**

 **YES I DID!**

 **I made Revy slaughter a mob boss, a mob, a small army, several cars and Rock's own flesh n blood. All of it to get Rock into that feck Aloha Shirt. (^_^)**


End file.
